Interesting Wired Article ” Hacker Launches Botnet Attack via P2P Software” which you should read to understand how easy you can become a computer crime victim.

Background: Jason Michael Milmont has agreed to plead guilty to masterminding a botnet.

The defendant, Jason Michael Milmont, did develop an application or malware which was installed in a victim’s computer to allow Jason Milmont to gain access and control over the computer. According to the plea agreement, the application or malware was spread using instant messenger Spam and other methods. “The malware, assuming an infected machine ran AOL instant messenger, would spread itself by causing Spam to be disseminated through the victim’s buddy list. Once the buddy receive the message, the message would request the user to view a photo on a a website…” The link was spoofed and the unlucky person clicking it saw a spoofed website. At this point the victim Computer was 1 min away to be infected with the Nugache Worm.

“After obtaining this information from a victim’s computer, defendant used his/her financial institution’s online user name and password to access the account online,” the agreement said. “Defendant then changed the victim’s e-mail address to a similar e-mail that he controlled and the mailing address to an address in Cheyenne, Wyoming, typically an address that was listed for sale.”

The defendant created an GUI to control the created bot network.

Never open, save, run or click files without being 100pct sure that it is save to do so.