Pengine utaniuliza, 'oyaa, unazungumzia nini? Hiyo 'misukule' microsoft inayofunga ndo kitu gani tena?'
N'takujibu hivi, 'misukule' hii kitaalamu inaitwa 'botnet' na jina hili limetokana na muunganiko wa maneno mawili ya kiingereza, "robot" na "network".

Utasema tena, 'kwa hiyo?, mbona bado sikuelewi?'
Sasa sikiza...
Ikiwa una anwani pepe, huenda hutakuwa mgeni wa barua mazagazaga (spam na junk mails) yanazokuja kwenye inbox yako bila wewe kujua yametoka wapi na hao waliotuma mbona huwafahamu na isitoshe, wamejuaje anwani yako? Mara nyingi emails hizi huwa zinachujwa na kufichwa kwenye 'junk' au 'spam' folder' na kisha kutupwa ikiwa hutazishughulikia ndani ya siku kadhaa.

Sasa kuhusu uhusiano wa botnet na tarakilishi (computer) na mazagazaga (junk/spam) uko hivi.
Baadhi ya tarakilishi zinaweza kugeuzwa kuwa 'msukule' au 'zezeta' na hivyo kufanyishwa kazi kinyemela (remotely) na mtu aliyeko mahali fulani popote duniani. Tarakilishi inaweza kugeuzwa msukule ikiwa utapakua virusi kutoka kwenye barua pepe au tovuti fulani ulizotembelea na kupakua virusi kwa kutokujua. Punde virusi huyo anapoingia kwenye tarakilishi yako, si rahisi ufahamu kwani huwa haifanyi lolote zaidi tu ya kujishikiza kama kupe na kutoa taarifa kwa yule aliyeko kwenye 'control room' na kusubiri tu kupewa amri ya kuanza kusambaza virusi/trojan/linki za matangazo feki ya dawa za viagra nk. Punde tarakilisho yako inapoanza kufanya kazi hiyo, ndipo inapoitwa 'zezeta' aka msukule alias 'botnet'.

Ukitaka kuelewa kwa njia ya picha, tafadhali bofya picha ifuatayo na kuikuza ili kusoma.

Sasa iweje watu wanaotumia bidhaa za Microsoft wafurahie?
Ni kwamba, kutakuwepo na punguzo la junk emails zinazozalishwa kuniani kwa siku kwani kampuni ya Microsoft imepewa ruhusa ya muda kutoka kwenye mahakama moja ya Marekani katika jimbo la Virginia Mashariki inayoipa ruhusa Kampuni hiyo kubwa kabisa ya tarakilishi, kuweza kufungia majina ya intaneti yapatayo 277 ambayo yamethibitika kuwa kitovu cha msukule wa Waledac. Msukule huo unaaminika kusambaza virusi bilioni moja (1,000,000,000) kwa siku moja tu duniani kote. Bofya picha yenye ramani hapo chini ili kujionea makaridio ya tarakilishi ambazo zimeshambuliwa na 'misukule' kote duniani. Kwa maelezo zaidi kuhusu habari hii, soma tovuti ya Microsoft.

Vile vile unaweza kubofya hapa ili kutizama video kusikia maelezo mafupi kuhusiana na suala hili.

While perusing the PC Mag blog, I came across this post worth sharing with people using Microsoft products regarding some very important message that users of Microsoft products needs to be aware of.

In a few months to come, Microsoft is going to end its support for some products and services, therefore it is recommended that people running these software need to update them before the set date for closure.

On April 13, 2010 support will end for Windows Vista with no service packs (Vista RTM and Vista SP0), and Windows XP SP2. If you are running these versions after that April 13 you will no longer receive updates or support.
What do do? Apply the latest service pack (SP2 for Vista, SP3 for XP) or buy a new PC running Windows 7.

On July 13, 2010, Windows 2000 in all service packs will reach the end of it's "Extended Support Phase" meaning no updates anymore. (Probably also the end of all support for Internet Explorer 5, currently supported on Windows 2000 only).

On July 13, 2010, all editions of Windows Server 2003 will be moving from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase. This means the end of "no charge" support and Microsoft will no longer be providing new non-security hotfixes. You will need to open a paid support case in order to get support from Microsoft.