Final answer:
Bots can be used for both legitimate and malicious purposes, with 'good bots' serving useful functions without security risks, and malicious bots compromising user control of a computer. However, contrary to one statement, malicious bots have not decreased but rather have escalated over the years.
Step-by-step explanation:
Internet robots, or bots, are software applications that perform automated tasks. When considering the statements provided:
- (a) Bots are used for both legitimate and malicious purposes. This is true as there are many bots designed to make our online experience more efficient, like search engine crawlers, while others are designed to perpetrate cybercrime, such as stealing personal information.
- (b) Malicious bots can compromise a user's control of the computer. These types of bots, such as viruses or Trojans, can indeed take control of a user's system, often without the user being aware.
- (c) "Good bots" have useful functions and do not pose security risks. This statement is generally true. Good bots, such as customer service chatbots or data scraping bots for legitimate purposes, are designed to be helpful and are not intended to be a security threat.
- (d) Malicious bots have decreased in number and scope in the past few years. This is incorrect. The threat has actually increased due to the growing complexity of technology and greater online engagement.
Concerns over the threat of AI and the potential misuse of bots reflect a deeper problem about the balance between technological advancement and human values and safety.