ZombieExposer by ITinvestigator detects hidden bot controlled browsers that slow down computers and allow bypassing of many firewalls. The program allows you to view the live bot activity and helps locate the process that is starting the hidden browsers. Fraudsters infect machines with malware and use it to engage in ad fraud. Infected machines communicate with a command and control system enabling the criminals to download more viruses. Cyber criminals behind botnets spend a great deal of time and effort trying to ensure the bot virus, that effectively turns a computer into a zombie, is hard to detect. ZombieExposer uses a proprietary algorithm to detect hidden browsers controlled by a bot. Virus makers will often use methods to bypass anti-virus thus allowing the billion dollar ad fraud botnet business to grow. With ZombieExposer, even if they managed to bypass anti-virus software, the virus will get detected.The dangers of having a computer infected with a bot style virus extends itself way beyond playing a role in assisting the ad fraudsters. These bots communicate with a command and control system that allows them to download more viruses at will as was the case with the recent 3VE bot network that was recently uncovered, in that one case alone, over 1.5 million machines were infected.
To make matters worse, even when someone detects a hidden browser, finding its parent process is difficult. Unlike a traditional browser that you can quickly find its parent process using one of many tools, hidden browsers DO NOT show the correct starting process. Zombie Exposer includes details on finding the true culprit behind the hidden browsers.
ZombieExposer was created by cyber security experts that felt that more needs to be done to help people counter these aggressive bot viruses, that according to some estimates have infected over 500 million machines. The software is free and uses little resources to run.
