zombie computer en · NOUN
Etymology
From zombie + computer. First use appears c. 1999. See cite below.
Meanings
-
A computer connected to the Internet that has been compromised by a hacker by means of a computer virus, computer worm, or Trojan horse program and can be used to perform malicious tasks under the remote direction of the hacker.
The danger is manifested in this version because the hackers are gaining control of as many as thousands of vulnerable zombie computers in order to magnify and direct their full-scale assault against a single victim from all directions.
1999, Brian Fonseca, “"Denial-of-service attacks employ zombie PCs to hit networks"”, in Infoworld Daily News:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| zombie computers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |