Computer security companies striving to find a fix for TDL-4, a powerful botnet

Since its inception in 2008, every version of this botnet has been a marked improvement from its predecessor

TDL4 is a collection of computers controlled by cyber criminals. Ever since the first version of this botnet came out in 2008, its every subsequent version is a marked improvement over the previous one.

Researchers at Kaspersky Labs, who have recently unveiled the details of this botnet, have termed this botnet as “the most sophisticated threat today”. The security companies are still working to find a reliable defense mechanism to deal with the present version of TDL.

As per the analysis of Sergey Golovanov and Igor Soumenkov from Kaspersky Labs, TDL-4 is sophisticated in its own way. It attaches all kinds of tricks to get deeply connected with the hard drives of victimized computers. It gets implanted in your computer’s master boot record without your notice and when the computer is scanned, TDL-4 has this ability to escape from it. Following this, it starts its actual function and starts downloading other malware through encrypted connections thus severely infecting your computer.

Kaspersky further noted that the makers of TDL-4 can access infected computers, even if the centers are shut down.

Kaspersky in the SecureList blog recently quoted that the ultimate aim of the owners of TDL is to create a botnet that is protected against attacks, competitors, and antivirus companies. Kaspersky even revealed that the creators of TDL-4 have now gained access to affiliates. These affiliates are again cyber criminals who get paid between $20 and $200 for every 1,000 installations of TDL.

Although the cure for this botnet is not currently available, yet it is advised that one should practice safe Internet browsing to avoid being a prey to such threats. It is mandatory to have a secure and full version of security software installed in your PC that can provide you with automatic updates on a regular basis. You can even enhance the browser security settings of your PC for better results.

To motivate all of us to keep fighting against cyber criminals, Paul Ducklin, head of technology for Sophos in the Asia Pacific region has advised the computer users not to panic. He further quoted that there is no such malware which cannot be fixed.

Let us all hope that the security companies soon come up with a reliable security fix for TDL-4.