The US leads the world in numbers of Windows PCs that are part of botnets, reveals a report.
More than 2.2 million US PCs were found to be part of botnets, networks of hijacked home computers, in the first six months of 2010, it said.
Compiled by Microsoft, the research revealed that Brazil had the second highest level of infections at 550,000.
graeme_p
10:33 am on Oct 15, 2010 (gmt 0)
I am amazed its so low. I would have expected something more like the 14% level in South Korea, if not more. So many home users have non-functioning anti-virus or other obvious flaws I wonder how they escape malware.
engine
11:39 am on Oct 15, 2010 (gmt 0)
The figure surprised me, however, just think of the havoc caused even by those 2 million. Perhaps it's only 2 million they've identified.
wyweb
3:44 pm on Oct 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
I would have guessed much higher as well.
tangor
4:05 pm on Oct 16, 2010 (gmt 0)
I suspect the low number is also attributed to the appalling number of machines running Win OS that are NOT updated/"genuine" which account for a significant (no number know that I know of) sector of the installed systems world wide. Most pirates won't report other pirates taking advantage of them!
enigma1
3:09 pm on Oct 17, 2010 (gmt 0)
running Win OS that are NOT updated/"genuine"
I don't think so, I think is what they were able to identify as compromised systems, if a system is controlled remotely the "auto updates" can also pass via a portal. The router is likely compromised and data gathered may show just few sources. And in these cases AVs, O/S updates etc., are ineffective.
