Computer Security Software - Why Desktop Vulnerability Assessment is a Must-Have Weapon in the Coming War Against Botnets

Cyber-criminals would have to find another job, could they not rely on two big "friends". Human nature, with its traits of trusting, credulousness, negligence and curiosity is certainly the most powerful leverage in any hacker's arsenal. Even in a world of perfect technology, crackers will use human weaknesses to open otherwise secure doors. Technology is not perfect though and technical "flaws" in software, computers and telecommunication systems offer plenty of opportunities to be exploited. Those technical flaws are what we call "vulnerabilities".

Vulnerabilities in the entire World Wide Web are exploited all the time to obtain control of computers and entire networks and gain access to confidential data. Those vulnerabilities can be found everywhere, but particularly in Internet browsers and their plug-ins; in Web servers and application software; and even in core devices of the underlying network infrastructure of the Web.

Unfortunately, the list of Internet security threats doesn't stop there. Major flaws can be found and exploited in many other areas, like office programs (e.g. the ubiquitous Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook), all operating systems, mobile devices platforms and applications, networking equipment, to mention but a few.

All those technical flaws provide hidden doors that can be used to find a way around your security software, and "drop" a tiny program, which will "hook" your computer to a specific Botnet. Once hooked, your computer will not show any problem and might even go unnoticed to your existing antivirus and firewall software, sometime for a long time. Actually, that is the main objective of a high-calibre hacker: to create a perfect piece of software, able to invisibly land and plant itself deep into a computer system, but ready to be activated when required.

Fortunately, more and more desktop software vendors are now disclosing vulnerabilities as they are discovered, at the same time as releasing so-called security "patches", i.e. software rewritten to include a "fix" to the problem. From a user's point of view, staying up-to-date on patches has become essential. And so have the tools to carry out a thorough "vulnerability assessment".

You can't fix a problem, if you don't know you have one! But equally important is to have a sure fire "solution" to fix it quickly and easily. Some of the top antivirus and Internet security suites integrate a "vulnerability scanner", which shows a list of operating system and installed applications, for which a "patch" has been released.

If it sounds like a race between you, trying to shut doors, and criminals, trying to get through them, it's because that is exactly what it is! You might get tired of trying to find and install updates one by one and fall behind in keeping your desktop or laptop computer up to date. The longer standing the vulnerabilities, the higher the probability to come across some malicious software left on compromised web sites, the easier the way in. And do not assume that you need to run some exotic program to run into problems. Just watching a simple video, using any of the most popular players like Flash, Quick Time or Windows Media Player, might open the door to the code to hook your computer to one of the several botnets active in the Internet underworld.

When choosing antivirus and firewall software, put vulnerability assessment right at the top of your must-have list. Together with an effective and easy to manage desktop firewall software, it will make your day by day maintenance a breeze and your computer a much tougher nut to crack!