How Botnets Generate Spam and Steal Your Identity

The Zombies Want Your Computer: How Botnets Generate Spam and Steal Your Identity

WASHINGTON, April 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Association for Computing Machinery today released the following media advisory.

WHAT: Brown Bag Lunch Briefing

- Presented by ACM and Microsoft

- Hosted by the Senate Science and Technology Caucus

- Hear academic, industry and law enforcement experts explore the growing threat of botnets and how they fuel criminal activities

WHEN: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 12:00 noon - 1:15 p.m.

WHERE: U.S. Capitol Senate Chambers
Room SC-4
Constitution Avenue and New Jersey Avenue

WHO: Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT)
Edward Felten, Princeton University, on How Botnets Form and the Scope of the Threat
Phil Reitinger, Microsoft, on How Industry is Dealing with Botnets
Scott O'Neal, FBI, on How Law Enforcement is Fighting Botnets

WHY: Robots are alive and well today, but they resemble nothing you've seen from science fiction or in a lab. They are hiding on millions of computers around the world.

Known as "bots," they are programs installed on computers without the knowledge of their owners. They can turn computers into "zombies" under the control of a hacker or "bot herder" and are used for malicious activities. When linked, they form a botnet - a network of compromised computers.

These networks are a serious and growing risk to consumers' privacy, business operations, e-commerce and the Internet itself. They can be used to spam, cripple websites, steal personal information, and attack other computers.

HOW: This is a public event but space is limited.
RSVP to David Bruggeman by April 24
Tel. 202-659-9711
Fax 202-667-1066
Email david.bruggeman@acm.org

ABOUT ACM
ACM (http://www.acm.org ) is an educational and scientific society uniting the world's computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.