Texas Passes Anti-Botnet Bill

  • Jul 06, 2009

On June 19, Gov.Rick Perry of Texas signed SB 28 into law, amending Texas’ Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act to include violations against the creation or use of computer “zombies” and “botnets.” A zombie is a computer that has been compromised so that it can be controlled by another person or program without the knowledge of the computer’s owner. A botnet is a collection of zombies.

Computer hackers utilize zombies and botnets in order to leverage other people’s computer resources to perform illegal operations, such as collecting credit card information, social security numbers and intellectual property. In addition, they use these botnets to hack into even more computers by using those zombies to perform a multitude of attacks from a variety of different sources, thereby increasing their chances of breaking through a network’s security infrastructure.

“As more and more states refine their information security legislation, we’re seeing an increased demand for the appropriate tools to identify these criminal acts, remediate the affected computers and forensically gather evidence to prosecute,” said Tim Leehealey, CEO of AccessData Corp.

Using such technology, organizations can achieve a complete 360-degree forensic view of their data from a single vendor. With powerful analytic capabilities and visibility into data both on individual computers and travelling across the network, investigators are now in a position to quickly track down the most powerful and insidious incidents perpetrated by skilled hackers. In addition, law enforcement agencies are able to use these technologies on a case by case basis as surveillance tools to investigate alleged crimes, forensically collect evidence and successfully prosecute.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.