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Zotob and Mytob Worm Authors Arrested

Posted by Zonk on from the life-becomes-less-annoying dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Washingtonpost.com is reporting that two men have been arrested for allegedly authoring and releasing the "Zotob" and "Mytob" worms. The first Zotob, released Aug 14 - just 4 days after Microsoft released a fix for the hole it exploited, infected systems at many major news outlets. Mytob remains one of the most pervasive worms on the 'Net today." From the article: "Moroccan authorities, working with the FBI, arrested Farid Essebar, 18, a Moroccan national born in Russia who went by the screen moniker 'Diabl0.' Arrested in Turkey was Atilla Ekici, aka 'Coder,' age 21. Both individuals will be subject to local prosecutions, the FBI said." Update: 08/26 20:56 GMT by Z : Nana Mous wrote to mention an eWeek blow by blow account of Microsoft's response to the worm. Very interesting read.

14 of 363 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Young by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    The young heroes *swoon*. Seriously, they should get a medal. Anybody who sabotages Windows users is OK in my book.

  2. Re:Young by HTTP+Error+403+403.9 · · Score: 1, Troll

    Very intelligent kids with no social values, must be homeschooled.

    --
    I'm not a Troll, it's reverse psychology.
  3. It's Windows by Himring · · Score: -1, Troll

    I know it's a lost cause even on /. anymore, but the Windows OS is the problem. These are children who are writing these things. If a child points out that the emperor has no clothes we arrest it? The emperor keeps coming out into the public naked, and children keep pointing it out, and we keep blaming the children....

    --
    "All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
    1. Re:It's Windows by Himring · · Score: 0, Troll

      You really think MS's patch system is all about "your" security? It's driven, was created and exists due to MS's lawyers. They cannot be blamed -- as your yourself argue -- for the flaws in Windows. After all, they put out a patch, warned everyone, and people just don't do what the good MS tells them. But, my anonymous friend, you are overlooking that this is a flawed OS from the start, from the beginning, and MS really hasn't cared about security from the get-go. Where are the viruses taking down Netware, taking down Linux/Unix? They are not there. Why? Because those houses were built on a good foundation with thoughtful administration in mind. Windows is a house built on a swamp, but since the builder keeps telling you about the spot in the bog about to make the corner sink just before it sinks you are freely willing to believe that it's your fault.

      So, now, who is the one not being insightful?...

      --
      "All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
  4. Re:Punishment? Right... by diskis · · Score: 1, Troll

    Somehow I think that's not limited to third world countries only...

  5. Slashdot Worm Pic reminds me of.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Man, that worm image that slashdot uses reminds me of the position I left my last g/f in.

  6. Light sentences by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I hope it's like the Bali bomber in Indonesia, who killed 88 Australians and got 13 months in prison (and for Indonesia independence day, they chopped 4 months off that).

    I'm thinking a $1 fine and 30 hours of community work at the local mosque, handing out Jihadist material and soliciting donations. That would be appropriate for this incident.

  7. Re:Punishment? Right... by OneSeventeen · · Score: 0, Troll

    How about releasing their address and calling off their local governments?

    Or just let everyone install open source software and stop wining about surprises that come in closed source software.

    --
    "Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed." -C.S. Lewis
  8. The ideal punishment... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    for this is to be tied to a bed like a woman about to have a female-type exam, jam a 1" curling iron up their asses, tape it in there with duct tape, and then turn it on. Walk away...

    Dare I say, the virus act won't be repeated again.

  9. Re:Punishment? Right... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Both individuals will be subject to local prosecutions, the FBI said.

    In other words, a few horse heads will show up in some beds, some vague threats made, and they'll get off with no punishment.


    Yes, the THEY in this case being billy bathgates and his gang of merry gangster-thieves.

    How come bill never gets CHARGED for the damage his shitty system routinely causes, or CHARGED with any crimes, or, having been convicted of monopoly charges, nothing happens?

  10. microsoft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    microsoft should be held liable for each and every damage that occurs due to their shoddy software.

  11. So who is wrong? by Skiron · · Score: 0, Troll

    I still don't understand how MS get off being the innocent party here. I mean...

  12. A Better LInk: Arrest These Thugs +1, Informative by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll


    Virus writers are choir boys compared to "President" George W. Bush and President-Vice Richard B. Cheney.

    These international gun runners are responsible for more war in the world than anyone else.

    Regardz,
    Kilgore Trout, C.E.O.

  13. Re:Punishment? Right... by KillShill · · Score: 0, Troll

    no you're thinking about western punishment. in the east, they'll treat you like a criminal, not give the prison industry a financial boost.

    --
    Science : Proprietary , Knowledge : Open Source