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CA Warns Of Massive Botnet Attack

m4dm4n wrote to mention a story running on The Register which describes a coordinated malware attack designed to establish a massive botnet. From the article: "The attack involves three different Trojans - Glieder, Fantibag and Mitglieder - in a co-ordinated assault designed to establish a huge botnet under the control of hackers. Computer Associates reckons that access to the compromised PCs is for sale on a black market, at prices as low as five cents per PC."

26 of 357 comments (clear)

  1. Now.. by Cruithne · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now witness the power of this fully operational botnet... :/

    1. Re:Now.. by drgonzo59 · · Score: 2, Funny
      But then again, post a link to the target on Slashdot and you got instant, free (less then 5c/machine) botnet attack.

      Come to think of it, the operator is probabil not from US or Western Europe, if they were, they would have had something like 25c/machine, maybe even have a deal: buy 100 for the price of 90. Or perhaps, offer coupons to the slashdot geeks or something.

      I personally would be interested and I would buy the botnet just so I can have it attack itself to see what happens.

    2. Re:Now.. by yiantsbro · · Score: 3, Funny

      True, but if it truly were an American deal there would be a rebate involved somewhere (where you have to send in screenshots of the attack, printed MAC addresses from the machines, etc.).

    3. Re:Now.. by Tony-A · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Go buy control of my machines!"
      "Yes, sir, Mr. Gates."


      LOL. Well it is one thing that Microsoft could do to improve its security, at least in the short term. Kinda sets a bad example, though.

      Five cents per compromised machine???
      Now the question is, What is the going rate for compromised Linux boxes? Or better yet, for compromised OpenBSD boxes?
      That my friends is how you can measure the effectiveness of the security.

  2. Half Price Zombie PCs. by iolagnm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Welcome to Blackbeard's weapons emporium. You will see we have the finest collection of AK-47s, anti-aircraft missiles, and Airzookas. Oh, and over here we have wholesale zombie PCs.

  3. Sweet by Quasar1999 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do I have to buy the whole network at 5 cents a PC? Or can I just buy say a dollar's worth? I wouldn't mind having 20 PC's... I can force all those PCs to join my network games of Quake and Unreal... finally I'll have people to play with... gasp... maybe even online 'friends'! Mommy will be so happy... in fact I think I'll go upstairs right now and tell her the good news!

    --

    ---
    Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
  4. SETI by dmauro · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe the SETI program should invest in some of this cheap computing power...

    1. Re:SETI by InvaderSkooge · · Score: 3, Funny

      SETI engages in seeking distributed computing power through legitimate means..... to endorse this would undermine the purpose of SETI in the first place. Illegitimate use of computers scares away aliens?

      --
      Erik
      YOU ARE SAYING IMPUDENCE TO ME! THAT IS IMPUDENCE!
    2. Re:SETI by InvaderSkooge · · Score: 4, Funny

      Using legitimate programs for illegitimate means is garbage. It should not be funny to anyone for any reason.

      You know, call it a hunch, but I'm betting you're probably not the guy I want to be testing out my new Holocaust joke on.

      --
      Erik
      YOU ARE SAYING IMPUDENCE TO ME! THAT IS IMPUDENCE!
  5. Wrong career by Itchy+Rich · · Score: 5, Funny

    Glieder, Fantibag, Mitglieder?

    These guys shouldn't be writing code, they should be writing Harry Potter novels.

    1. Re:Wrong career by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Or Kubrick screenplays.

      Mein Fuehrer! What is the point of a zombie army if we don't use it?

  6. Highest bidder? by syntap · · Score: 5, Funny

    access to the compromised PCs is for sale on a black market, at prices as low as five cents per PC.

    Heck, that's five cents more per PC than SETI@Home pays me, and they won't eat me when I find them like the aliens will.

  7. Price Check on Aisle 5 by InvaderSkooge · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is 5 cents per PC the regular rate, or just the Memorial Day Weekend Sale price?

    --
    Erik
    YOU ARE SAYING IMPUDENCE TO ME! THAT IS IMPUDENCE!
  8. Oblig. quote by mitchellandrews · · Score: 1, Funny

    The Botnet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Botnet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug...Botnet fights back.

  9. X-Files? by The+Woodworker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Does this make anyone else think of the X-Files episode where they created AI by combining 12 different viruses on the net? Scarier still, does this mean that the first AI will appear on Windows!?! And am I just that old of a geek? Oh well, its Friday, give me a beer.

    --
    Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he'll wipe out the species.
  10. So Microsoft is telling the truth... by Weaselmancer · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...at five cents per computer, they do have a lower TCO after all!

    --
    Weaselmancer
    rediculous.
  11. Get the Facts by mcleodnine · · Score: 4, Funny

    In a recent survey of BotNet administrators, hosts running Microsoft Windows operating systems were found to have at least a 40% less TCO than a comparable Linux offering.

    "With volume discounts and integrated tools, we can now offer "managed" remote hosts as low as 5 cents per unit."

    --
    one better than mcleodeight
  12. Apparently The Register is published in the South by xorowo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Clearly I was wrong when I reckoned that the word "reckon" was most popularly used in the South.

  13. No, NO. by game+kid · · Score: 2, Funny

    They have a lower TCP: total cost of pwnz0rship.

    --
    You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
  14. Re:As I've been saying for years: by QuietLagoon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Even better - continue to charge the users the monthly fee, but don't let the users connect to anything, and don't let anything connect to the users. This is a win-win situation. The users' PCs don't turn into automatons, and the ISP still gets the money.

  15. Re:There is a money trail. by SilverspurG · · Score: 2, Funny

    As long as they keep getting elected and increasing the amount they take in tax money.

    --
    fast as fast can be. you'll never catch me.
  16. Re:Evolution, baby by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Flag on the play. Excessive sarcasm. 15 Yards from previous spot.

  17. Re:Evolution, baby by capt.Hij · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not to mention the upcoming movie with Russel Crowe as the private eye who goes deep underground to catch these murderous thugs. Hours of film with Mr. Crowe staring at a computer screen typing away with his shirt off while chatting with the evil villian played by some totally hot babe also sitting at a computer. So not only do the cops and robbers evolve but so does our entertainment industry. I can't wait...

  18. IPs for Sale by leadzepplin · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have 16,777,216 IPs for sale in the 127. range. 5 cents a peice Send cash and I can tell you how to access them.

  19. Re:Ideal opportunity to disinfect the internet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Mister Data, is it possible to plant a command into the Borg collective consciousness?"
    "It is conceivable, sir. But it would require altering the pathway from the root command, to affect all intricate branchpoints in the--"
    "Make every effort, Mister Data."

    "Sleep..."

  20. The true victim of Window's security gaps: pirates by TCQuad · · Score: 2, Funny

    Before they could sell these systems for 10, maybe even 15 cents a piece. But thanks to the latest Windows security holes and viruses, the market has been so flooded with cheap foreign zombies that the pirates can barely make a living selling their hard-earned bots for 5 cents a piece.