A while ago I really wanted to build a bot farm, not to do anything particular malicious (farm reddit upvotes and push content to the front page).
Now this post feels like its encouraging me too.
Now this post feels like its encouraging me too.
You and I have very different definitions of the word "malicious".
Also illegal.
You might as well have just said, "I was thinking of committing light larceny, nothing malicious, and this article makes me want to do it again."
It isn't, though.
But illegal? Not unless I'm actually stealing data, making a profit, or accessing areas I shouldn't be.
You surely don't believe folks are granted access to all those computers, right?
You are, however, comparing apples and oranges. Building a bot net vs. sending out a press release is very different things. Please look into Black Hat vs. White Hat SEO.
You do something different with your property is OK.
Manipulating other people's property through directly bypassing the countermeasures they have in place isn't OK.
None of its illegal.