Bezerke Probes - A Solution to the Family Paradox

The first civilization to have colonized the galaxy would have all the advantage over any others that came later. An earlier civilization would have time to see things like bezerke probes, a hypothetical type of self replicating space probe designed to attack and destroy entire civilizations. Perhaps there is some older civilization that doesn't like to compete for scarce resources with young upstarts like ourselves. Or perhaps they don't much care about us, so long as we stay here on earth ere,. even within our own galaxy.