| LARGEST ZOMBIE NETWORK EVER IS | | | | more about what the hackers used this botnet |
| REVEALED | | | | for. |
| | | | | The huge botnet gives the criminals good income |
| A botnet of 1.9 millions computers have been | | | | as they can earn as much as 190.000 USD in only |
| revealed. A botnet is a collection of computers | | | | one day by renting out the Zombie network to |
| controlled by malicious cyber criminals Authorities | | | | interested parties. Those who are interested, gets |
| says they have found 6 hackers behind this | | | | value for their money, as the control system for |
| botnet, which makes enormous sums of money | | | | this botnet gives the opportunity to copy files, |
| on this botnet. One of the main servers are found | | | | key logging and send spam emails or take |
| in Ukraine and believed to be the hub for this | | | | screenshots of these zombies in the botnet. |
| botnet. | | | | As said earlier, it is only the Windows XP |
| Finjan Vital Security discovered this huge botnet in | | | | operating system that is targeted in this botnet, |
| March 2009. This botnet are controlled by a small | | | | and around 77 of these zombies are government |
| group of cyber criminals which utilize the machines | | | | computers in the U.S.A and several other |
| in the botnet, called zombies through a | | | | countries. |
| sophisticated control system. The botnet can be | | | | The other question you will have to ask yourself, |
| used to more or less anything through this control | | | | is why does not the major anti virus companies |
| system. | | | | like Norton, Kaspersky, NOD and others find |
| Finjan revealed that they could track the system | | | | these resources first? Why does a company like |
| back to 6 hackers that control this system of 1.9 | | | | Finjan detect it, and also reveal that less than |
| million computer zombies. This is the largest | | | | 10% of the commercial anti virus software can |
| collection of zombies ever found in internet | | | | detect virus and the malicious software coming |
| history and the collection increases by the hour. | | | | from this activity? |
| The botnet spread has been active since | | | | I am certain that the millions of dollars the |
| February 2009 and is only directed towards | | | | commercial software companies are getting from |
| Windows XP machines. The servers used for | | | | sales of their software, should be spent more on |
| controlling this activity is lying in Ukraine and the | | | | collaborating than trying to compete each others |
| security experts have got lots of information | | | | out. There seems to be more and more in need |
| from this server. | | | | of collaboration in development of anti virus tools, |
| It is an advanced system built up as the hackers | | | | but also legislation for internet that will prohibit |
| uses a very sophisticated control system where | | | | Internet Service providers that does not comply |
| they have software that lets them do just about | | | | with a certain set of rules and directives to be |
| anything with the zombies in the botnet network. | | | | excluded from the Domain name Server lists. |
| A Command Editing panel gives the hackers the | | | | We can only welcome a stronger international |
| opportunity to download Trojans and other | | | | collaboration through a Cyber Interpol that will |
| malicious material and software. One of these | | | | have a strong control and authority to exclude |
| Trojans in this network was only detected by 4 | | | | certain countries to be part of the world wide |
| of the 39 available anti virus software packages. | | | | web unless they comply with a certain set of |
| This is worrying not only to these anti virus | | | | rules. However, i realize there is a balance |
| companies, but to you as a user, as you trust | | | | between sensorship on the internet and freedom, |
| these anti virus packages to handle most threats | | | | however, we can not allow a total anarchy on the |
| against you and your machine. | | | | internet. Our society has become far to much |
| 45% of the zombie infected machines are in the | | | | reliable on the internet and has to regard the |
| U.S.A. | | | | internet infrastructure as important as their |
| At an internet security conference called RSA, | | | | physical infrastructure like roads and telecom and |
| Finjan told about their discoveries and could tell | | | | such. |