Etymology

From zombie +‎ computerCategory:English compound terms#ZOMBIECOMPUTER. First use appears c. 1999. See cite below.

Noun

zombie computer (plural zombie computers)Category:English lemmas#ZOMBIECOMPUTERCategory:English nouns#ZOMBIECOMPUTERCategory:English countable nouns#ZOMBIECOMPUTERCategory:English multiword terms#ZOMBIECOMPUTERCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#ZOMBIECOMPUTERCategory:Pages with entries#ZOMBIE%20COMPUTERCategory:Pages with 1 entry#ZOMBIE%20COMPUTER

1. (computingCategory:en:Computing#ZOMBIECOMPUTER, networkingCategory:en:Networking#ZOMBIECOMPUTER) 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.

   Synonym: zombie host

   • 1999, Brian Fonseca, “"Denial-of-service attacks employ zombie PCs to hit networks"”, in Infoworld Daily News:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#ZOMBIECOMPUTER