Be aware of the growing threat of botnets
要意识到僵尸网络日益增长的威胁
《endurer注：1。be aware of 知道；意识到
2。botnet 僵尸网络，是由感染了恶意代码、能够被黑客控制，可以用来发送垃圾邮件、传播病毒、发动分布式拒绝服务攻击（DDoS）攻击的计算机组成的网络。》
by Jonathan Yarden
作者：Jonathan Yarden
翻译：endurer（感谢网友JOYCE指正）
2006-02-15第2版
Keywords: Internet | Microsoft Windows | Spam and phishing | Security threats
关键字：因特网 | Microsoft Windows | 垃圾邮件和网络钓鱼 | 安全威胁
英文来源：http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-1009-6034534.html?tag=nl.e044
Takeaway:
Botnets are a rapidly increasing risk to Internet security. These groups of compromised Windows computers are the tools of the trade for all manners of extortion and spam relay on the Internet, and they are growing in numbers. In this edition of Internet Security Focus, Jonathan Yarden examines this growing threat and discusses what it means for Internet security.
概述：僵尸网络是Internet（因特网）安全快速增长的风险。这些受害计算机群是Internet上所有勒索和垃圾邮件转播方式交易的工具，并且它们正大量增长。在本版Internet安全焦点中，JonathanYarden讲解了这个日益扩大的威胁，并讨论了其对Internet安全的意义。
《endurer注：1。in numbers 大量的, 为数众多的》
2005 was not an exceptional year for Windows security梠r Internet security in general, for that matter梐nd 2006 isn't looking to be much better. While the year may gave been profitable for Internet security companies, corporations and average computer users continued to suffer from virus and worm outbreaks and the continuously growing threat of malware.
总地来说，2005对于Windows安全——或Internet安全而言，不是一个出色的年份，在这方面——2006看起来也不会更好。虽然这年可能有益于Internet安全公司、企业和一般计算机用户继续遭受病毒和蠕虫爆发和恶意软件的继续增长。
《endurer注：1。in general总之(一般,通常,一般说来)
2。for that matter 就那点而论,在这方面
3。suffer from 忍受, 遭受》
It didn't help that 2005 went out with a bang, when a zero-day Windows exploit that emerged during the holiday season caused a mad dash to secure systems. The critical vulnerability, which stems from how the OS renders Windows Meta File images, caught everyone by surprise, resulting in more than a million compromised PCs.
当一个在假期显现的零日Windows攻击，对安全系统造成疯狂攻击时，它却没有起到任何作用，2005年就砰然倒埸了。这个滋生于操作系统处理Windows Meta File图像的致命缺陷，令每个人震惊，产生了上百万台的受害PC。
《endurer注：1。go out 出去, 熄灭, 过时, 罢工, 向往, 辞职, 倒塌
2。with a bang 大大地(热气腾腾地)；砰地一声
3。mad dash 疯狂的冲刺
4。result in 导致》
In fact, a few antivirus and security companies, including the SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center and F-Secure, recommended installing an unofficial fix authored by Russian software developer Ilfak Guilfanov rather than wait for Microsoft to get around to releasing the patch. It was a rare move from security vendors, and I don't recall it ever happening before.
实际上，一些反病毒和安全公司，包括SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center和F-Secure，推荐安装俄罗斯软件开发者Ilfak Guilfanov写的非官方修订（程序），胜于等待微软抽出时间发布补丁。来自安全供应商的鼓动是很少的，甚至在发生前我都没想起它。
《endurer注：1。rather than 胜于
2。get around to [getround to]抽出时间(做某事) 考虑(某事) 》
However, it only highlights the serious nature of the vulnerability. Zero-day vulnerabilities are critical threats, and they genuinely require immediate attention. In the end, Microsoft actually released its fix for the WMF vulnerability several days earlier than expected, but not before many users turned to the unofficial fix.
然而，它只是突出了缺陷的严重性质。零日缺陷是致命威胁，并且它们确实需要立即注意。最后，微软居然早于预期数天发布了针对WMF缺陷的修复（补丁)，但并没有抢在一些转向非官方修复（补丁)用户之前。
《endurer注：1。serious nature 性质严重
2。in the end 最后, 终于》
However, it only highlights the serious nature of the vulnerability. Zero-day vulnerabilities are critical threats, and they genuinely require immediate attention. In the end, Microsoft actually released its fix for the WMF vulnerability several days earlier than expected, but not before many users turned to the unofficial fix.
当然，回顾以往，零日攻击也不令人惊讶。恶意软件作者喜爱假期——还有什么更好的时间能增加蠕虫或病毒传播的可能性呢的？
《endurer注：1。in retrospect 回顾, 回顾往事；检讨过去》
And then there's all those brand-new Windows systems connecting to the Internet for the first time. While most TechRepublic member know that preinstalled Windows systems are vulnerable to a variety of exploits and recognize that someone could remotely take over the system within minutes of connecting to the Internet, it's important to remember that the majority of mainstream computer users do not share this knowledge.
然后，所有这些崭新的Windows第一次连接到Internet。大多数TechRepublic的成员知道，预装的Windows系统易受多种攻击，并认识到有人能在连接到Internet的几分钟内远程接管，极大多数的主流计算机用户未分享这个知识，记住它是很重要的。
《endurer注：1。and then 于是, 然后
2。a variety of 多种的
3。take over 把...从一地带到另一地, 接收, 接管》
And depending on the malware, a newly infected computer can mean much more than annoying pop-ups. More than a few viruses and worms connect to an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel to listen for instructions—and join a legion of other compromised Windows systems.
依赖恶意软件，一台新感染的电脑可能意味着更多讨厌的弹出广告。许多病毒和蠕虫连接到Internet多线交谈（Internet Relay Chat，IRC）频道接听指令——并加入其他受害的Windows系统军团。
《endurer注：1。more than 大于；超过,多于》
Known as botnets, these groups of compromised computers are a growing threat on the Internet. They are the tools of the trade for all manners of extortion and junk e-mail relaying on the Internet, and they are growing in numbers.
这就是我们所说的僵尸网络，这些受害计算机群是Internet（因特网）安全快速增长的风险。它们是是Internet上所有勒索和垃圾邮件转播方式交易的工具，并且它们正大量增长。
In fact, law enforcement has long been aware of this immense threat and has been actively working to shut down botnets for a while. For example, the objective of Operation Spam Zombies, a U.S.-sponsored initiative launched by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last year, is to put a stop to the compromised Windows computers used to relay junk e-mail.
实际上，执法机构已经长期注意这个极大威胁，并积极地致力于暂时关闭僵尸网络。例如，美国联邦商务委员会（Federal Trade Commission，FTC）去年发起的Operation Spam Zombie的目标是，制止受害的Windows电脑用转播垃圾邮件。
《endurer注：1。for a while 暂时
2。zombie僵尸电脑，是一种计算机，一般通过宽带连接到互联网上、没有任何的安全软件的防护。它被蠕虫或者病毒感染，被远程控制并发送拒绝式袭击、垃圾邮件和带有网络钓鱼性质的邮件。
美国联邦商务委员会组织推出了“Operation Spam Zombie”的运动，计划要求互联网服务提供商隔离zombies，以帮助用户清查计算机。
3。put a stop to 制止,使停止》
However, I've been critical of this proposal from the start because it doesn't highlight the real risk of these so-called zombie systems, which malicious hackers can control remotely for their own nefarious deeds. In reality, junk e-mail comes in at the bottom of my list of Internet security threats—but compromised computers controlled through IRC are at the top.
然而，我从一开始就批评这个提议，因为它不能突出这些被称为介于僵尸系统的真实危害，恶意骇客们（hackers）能远程控制它们用于其邪恶行为。事实上，垃圾邮件在我的Internet安全威胁清单的底部——但通过IRC控制的受害电脑在顶部。
《endurer注：1。from the start 从一开始
2。in reality 实际上, 事实上
3。come in 进来, 到达终点, 流行起来, 当选, (钱)到手
4。at the bottom of 在...之底部》
Botnets are useful for all kinds of destructive Internet activity, either by individuals or organized cyberspace criminal gangs. The recent guilty plea of Jeanson James Ancheta, who operated a large botnet for both extortion attempts and installing spam-relaying malware, is only one person in the highly organized "Botmaster Underground," a covert group of hackers skilled in bot attacks that regularly rent the use of their zombie Windows systems for all types of illicit activity.
僵尸网络可用于所有类型的破坏(性)的Internet活动，由单独的或有组织的电脑空间犯罪集团发起的。最近Jeanson James Ancheta的有罪请求，此人操纵大型僵尸网络用于勒索企图和安装垃圾邮件转播恶意程序，只是高度组织化的“地下蠕虫大师”中的一个人，“地下蠕虫大师”是隐蔽的、擅长bot《endurer注：Bot 遥控程序》攻击的黑客群，定期出租他们的僵尸Windows系统使用权用于所有类型的违法活动。
《endurer注：1。be useful for 具有...用途
2。skilled in 精通,擅长》
Of course, spam relaying is undoubtedly annoying, but it's merely a byproduct of these botnets controlled from a single source. And while law enforcement should continue to focus on shutting down botnets, we can't stop looking for a way to prevent compromised Windows systems in the first place.
当然，垃圾邮件转播的确讨厌，但其仅仅是单一来源控制僵尸网络的附产品。虽然执法机构需要继续集中精力关闭僵尸网络，我们不能停止寻找首先预防受害Windows系统的方法。
《endurer注：1。focus on 集中
2。in the first place 首先；起初》
But this problem, unfortunately, is much more difficult to solve. I planned to gather some statistics about these compromised Windows systems until a coworker reported that CipherTrust had beaten me to the punch. CipherTrust's ZombieMeter tracks traffic from zombie PCs around the world.
但是不幸地是这个问题，解决起来更加困难了。我计划收集一些关于这些受害WWindows系统的统计表，直到共同工作者报告CipherTrust《endurer注：Ciphertrust是全球电子邮件安全的公司》已经将我打进 冲压机。CipherTrust的ZombieMeter能追踪全球“僵尸PC”流量。
《endurer注：1。much more 更加》
Regardless of statistics, it should be clear that Internet security as a whole almost entirely depends on the security of Microsoft Windows—whether it's actually your chosen OS. This alone has led many users to suggest a potential antivirus conspiracy; they argue that entire sectors of the "Microsoft economy" centered around Internet security would collapse if Windows was truly secure.
不管统计表，明显的是，Internet安全总体是几乎完全依赖于微软视窗口系统的安全性——无论它是否为你实际选择的操作系统。这已经单独地令一些用户想起可能的反病毒软件阴谋；他们争论，如果Windows真的安全，那么以“微软经济”为中心、围绕Internet安全的全部部门将崩溃。
《endurer注：1。regardless of 不管, 不顾
2。as a whole 总体上》
While I tend to disagree, compromised Windows systems do represent the largest threat to the Internet as a whole. Organized and controlled as botnets, these systems are essentially Internet weapons of mass destruction. And that's why, when it comes to programs such as Operation Spam Zombies and other law enforcement initiatives, junk e-mail needs to take a back seat to the more insidious threat of botnets.
然而我倾向于不同意，受害Widnows系统总体上表明了Internet最大的威胁。有组织的或受控作为僵尸网络，这些系统本质上是Internet大规模杀伤武器。原因是，当诸如Operation Spam Zombies和其它由执法机构发起的活动达到程序化时，垃圾邮件需要退居二线，让位给僵尸网络更阴险的威胁。
《endurer注：1。tend to 注意, 趋向
2。mass destruction 大规模杀伤
3。come to 达到, 继承, 复苏, 停止；想起,共计
4。take a back seat换到次要的地位(退居二线)》
