Final answer:
The company's infected computers are best described as 'zombies,' which are part of a botnet used to launch attacks such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).
These computers are controlled by hackers without the owners' knowledge. Cybersecurity is increasingly crucial due to the rising threats from hackers and cyberattacks impacting various sectors.
Therefore, the correct answer is: option c) zombie.
Step-by-step explanation:
Zombies are machines infected with malware that allows them to be controlled remotely by a cyber attacker, without the knowledge of the owner.
The attacker, often called a bot herder, commands these zombies to perform malicious tasks, such as conducting Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which is likely what the cybersecurity analyst observed in your case.
Hackers utilize a variety of methods to infect computers and turn them into zombies, such as phishing emails or exploiting security vulnerabilities. These compromised machines become part of a botnet, a network of infected computers, which can be used to perform large-scale attacks.
Such attacks can disrupt services, steal data, or cause various other cyber incidents. The rise in cyberthreats from hackers has become a critical issue for individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide, leading to growing concerns about digital network security.