Time-sharing
over the Internet (or Intranet)
This isn't time-sharing on a server (mainframe) but using idle CPU cycles in PCs scattered all over the world. It's called "Distributed Computing". I used to have the SETI@Home client on my Home PC. SETI@Home was one of the first implementations of the idea (and is probably the most wide-spread). However, newer adoptions of the concept are commercial -- you are actually paid for the CPU cycles. Intel claims to have used the model internally and saved $500 million over the past decade !
The newest "attack" (or is it "hack") tools use the popular IRCs ("Internet Relay Chat" to the unitiated or those, like me, who stay away from "online chats"). That the code can be called from an IRC makes it all the more ominous.
It might discredit IRCs a bit. But then, all those stories, of Internet Stalkers, Internet Sex-Crimes do not deter people from IRC anyway. I find no reason to use (or want to use) IRC. It seems that the anonymity of IRC is what has made it popular. That's strange. If man is a social animal why does he want to remain anonymous ? If you want interaction with someone why not over the telephone, at the very least, where you can at least hear the person's voice ?
More Security issues on the Internet
"An explosion of exposure". A security-hole in IE5, gaffe at Amazon reveals partner's email addresses (not as serious as revealing financial data or passwords surely), customer data at IKEA visible to others.