A zombie computer usually is part of a computer network (or botnet) that has already been compromised by hackers with their malware. Because of such an intrusion into the system, hackers can initiate attacks from the zombie computers onto any website of their choice. By doing this, the zombie computers attack the targeted website making the traffic on it so extreme that the website itself becomes inaccessible.

LiveJournal, Twitter and Facebook have been victim websites of such attacks. One such example is when the malware “Koobface” was launched by a cyber-hacker which initiated attacks on Facebook and started to spread to other social networks. The way Koobface works is that false messages are sent over the network through compromised user accounts which encourage other users to click on links that lead them to sites where malware will attack their accounts.

Not everyone can be a victim with the right advice. So if you don’t want to be the next one, you can heed some words of advice to keep you away from such hacker attacks. First, always practice caution. Don’t click on any links that look suspicious when you are logged into your social networking account. No matter how tempting the banner offer, restrain from clicking and just do your usual safe activities that you are sure of on your webpage.

Second, make sure your personal information is well guarded and that your settings on your social networking account provides you with the maximum security. Try not to post personal information on your profile to prevent identity fraud.

Third, your password on your account should ensure maximum security for your account. Pick a password that also contains numbers so that the password strength is high. Avoid using the same password for more than one site where you are a registered user.

Fourth, always update your antivirus software and make sure the signatures are up-to-date. Make sure your PC is equipped with an internet security program that can detect in-the-cloud threats before they can even enter you local system. Also install appropriate software updates on your system to keep your system well protected against the most recently released malware online.

Fifth, keep yourself updated on the most recent malicious software that is attacking computer systems. Read the online news like PC World and other sites and forums that can give you a clearer idea of what to look out for in threats and how to handle them.