Botnets: How VARs Can Protect Customers

As I recently pointed out over on MSPmentor, Botnets are both a threat and an opportunity for managed services providers and VARs. But how exactly can solutions providers protect their customers? And how can we protect ourselves from the growing botnet threat? Here are some timely steps to help mitigate the threats.

It could be just me but it seems that bots or botnets are the hot new thing when it comes to malware.  Everywhere I look there is a new article on the damage a botnet did, how cyber criminals are using botnets to profit and even a few about botnets being broken up.

As I’ve stated before, some pundits estimate that botnets have infiltrated roughly one-quarter of all personal computers connected to the Internet. Those botnets, in turn, are used to launch coordinated attacks against consumers and businesses.

Most of our customers understand the term virus and many times they blame software or hardware conflicts on viruses. They almost use the term virus as a catch all for malware.  Most don’t know or care to know the difference between a virus or a bot, but for us we need to know the differences and how to protect against each one.

Customers look to us to just prevent or solve their security problems. And the way I see it, this is partnership between vendor, reseller and customer. The vendor must provide the best quality product to meet the customer’s requirements. The reseller must configure the product or service and train the customer so they can use it efficiently and the customer must follow the guidelines set forth by the reseller and vendor to do business safe and responsible.  The four bullets listed below are a great way to start.

Here are a few suggestions…

1. Make sure your security software is up to date
2. Apply patches to web browsers, OS’s and applications that use the web
3. Don’t click on links that are unfamiliar
4. Don’t click links in emails.  Instead type the destination in your browser

As I mentioned on MSPmentor, there are many ways to deal with botnets — including free botnet detection tools. But I still wonder: Are you dealing with this problem today or do you have customers asking you for help?

TJ Alldridge is product marketing manager at Trend Micro. Guest blogs such as this one are part of The VAR Guy’s annual  sponsorship.