Zombie computers

I think we've all thought at one time or another that our computers are attacked by gremlins. How else do you explain the random glitches that occur? Gremlins, right?

Now I read in the morning paper that zombie computers are the latest threat to the Internet. I can just picture computers walking stiff-legged with outstretched arms trying to grab the unwary PC user.

Actually, it's not some scene from Night of the Living Dead that is worrying the tekkie experts. It's the latest computer assault weapon from the bad guys. A zombie computer is one in which a program has secretly installed itself in order to band together over the Internet with other secretly possessed computers to use their collective power to commit Internet crimes.

Sheesh. As if we don't have enough to worry about.

If these genius bad guys are so damn smart, why can't they figure out something that will benefit human kind and enrich themselves at the same time?

Enough already!