Slaying Zombies In the Courtroom: Texas Enacts the First Law Designed Specifically To Combat Botnets

The Internet has become indispensable for companies and individuals, with billions of dollars of business being transacted on a daily basis. Indeed, children of high school age have never known a time without ready access to the Internet. 1 Thus, the Internet has achieved the status of a basic utility. However, unlike previous utilities (e.g., the power grid, the telephone, etc.), the Internet is still largely unregulated. Consequently, the potential for misuse exists, and it should be no surprise that criminals and tortfeasors have found ways to exploit the Internet. One of the more virulent maladies plaguing the Internet today is botnets.