McAfee: "Zombie PCs" Up 50% Since 2008

Here's a way to get attention to your product: suggest that it can prevent consumers' PCs from becoming a "zombie." Believe it or not, a new report from McAfee suggests there has been a 50% increase in the number of detected "zombie computers" since 2008. You're terrified already, aren't you?


According to a BBC report, a zombie PC is simply one that has been hijacked by a cyber-criminal, or in other words, commandeered without the owner realizing it. Needless to say, such a situation is indeed scary, with crooks having easy access to potentially damaging information. The assertion comes on the heels of a big push to develop a "global approach to cyber-security," with even the Pentagon looking seriously at how to handle probes in recent weeks.

Deloitte's Greg Pellegrino noted that "doing nothing is not an option," and that the "issue ssue is moving so quickly, and with so much at stake economically and in terms of safety and security for people, we don't have 100 years to figure this out." McAfee also revealed that the United States now hosted the world's largest percentage of infected computers at 18% with China a not too distant second with just over 13%. For those who think a wide-reaching security standard is just too far-fetched, consider this: Canada has completed its own cyber-security review and this year will be implementing the National Cyber-Security Strategy as well as creating a new Directorate of Cyber-Security with a mandate to engage closely with the private sector. Furthermore, the European Commission has urged member states to co-ordinate on cyber-security measures, while in Latin America the report authors conclude that there is a "diversity of approaches." Whatever it takes to keep the zombies in the graves, right?