Microsoft this week unveiled the ninth volume of its Security Intelligence Report (SIR). The semi-annual assessment of the state of computer and Internet security does generally provide some useful information. This particular edition of the Security Intelligence Report focuses its attention on the threat posed by botnets.

A Microsoft Malware Protection Center blog post explains, “We’ve dedicated this particular volume to the study of botnets and the role that they play in the malware world. You’ll find a historical anthology of how botnets came to be along with modern-day examples, including the most prevalent families and differences in their geographical distribution.”

Adrienne Hall, general manager for Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, elaborates on the botnet threat. “Botnets are the launch pad for much of today’s criminal activity on the Internet. In many ways, they are the perfect base of operations for computer criminals. Botnets are a valuable asset for their owners–bot herders–who make money by hiring them out to other cyber criminals to use as a route to market for cybercrime attacks such as phishing attacks, spam attacks, identity theft, click fraud and the distribution of scam emails. Bot herders guard their botnets jealously and invest huge amounts of time, effort and money in them.”

Yeah. Things could get ugly out there. Be careful guys!