Software of the Week: Trend Micro RUBotted

Having your system "botted" is one of the worst nightmare of a computer user. It is because you are unknowingly allowing yourself to become involved in a network called botnet which can result in a Denial-of-Services (DOS) attack involving the crashing of websites. Imagine that you are helping a crime!!! If you are a really responsible user, you wouldn't allow this to happen to the other third party, would you?

Which is why i'd like to share this software with you.


Trend Micro is a respectable security software company and the mother to the famous Trend Micro HijackThis system analyzer. Apart from its regular antivirus and internet security offerings, Trend Micro released several supportive software and services under the flag TrendSecure, which includes HijackThis. One of the latest software released by Trend Micro under TrendSecure is called Trend Micro RUBotted. The software is still currently in beta stage, but due to its stability and using little memory footprints, i encourage you to use this software as an addition to your antivirus protection.

I've used to discuss in my previous post entries on PC security that Bots can secretly take control of computers and make them participate in networks called “Botnets.” These networks can harness massive computing power and Internet bandwidth to relay spam, attack web servers, infect more computers, and perform other illicit activities. Security experts believe that millions of computers have already joined Botnets without the knowledge of their owners. By using remotely-controlled computers, the criminals in charge of the Botnets try to remain anonymous and elude authorities seeking to prosecute them.

The concept of RUBotted's functionality is very simple and straightforward: RUBotted monitors your computer for suspicious activities and regularly checks with an online service to identify behavior associated with Bots. Upon discovering a potential infection, RUBotted prompts you to scan and clean your computer via Trend Micro HouseCall. After cleaning your system, you can officially be declared free of the botnet network.

Upon installation, Trend Micro RUBotted starts together with windows, unless you manually turn it off via clearing its startup entry. It sits quietly in your system tray and constantly checks your network for possible bot activity. If there are signs of bot activity detected, then the system tray icon will change its color to alert users. Although it is capable of detecting bot activities, it must be reminded that it does not disinfect or clean your system; RUBotted only serves as a checker and reminder that you are infected and should scan your PC for virus/worms. To effectively clean your system of bots, users must enlist the use of an effective antivirus or via the online service, Trend Micro Housecall. RUBotted will not change its system tray icon's color back to normal if the PC is not free from bots, therefore it also serves as a benchmark on how your antivirus is performing!

Here are the system requirements for installing and running Trend Micro RUBotted Beta

Operating System:

• Windows 2000 Professional (with the latest Service Pack installed)
• Windows XP Professional or Home Edition (with the latest Service Pack installed)
• Windows 2003 Server (with the latest Service Pack installed)
• Windows Vista (32-bit version only, with the latest Service Pack installed)

Hardware:

• Intel Pentium 350MHZ (minimum)
• 250MB of free hard drive space
• IPv4 Internet connection

* Take note that RUBotted does not work with Panda Internet Security 2008


To download and start using Trend Micro RUBotted, click here.