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Two Worm "Families" Make Up Most Botnets

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the why-can't-they-fight-eachother-instead-of-us dept.

JMoon writes "HNS has an article about the Sdbot and Gaobot families which are responsible for most botnets worldwide. These two families were responsible for 80 percent of detections related to bots during the first quarter of 2007. Other culprits, although on a much lesser scale, included Oscarbot, IRCbot or RXbot."

13 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Well, you see, by GodFjotten · · Score: 3, Funny

    viruses kinda runs in the family...

    1. Re:Well, you see, by Ngarrang · · Score: 2, Funny

      The FTC should file a lawsuit against those two worms. In this day and age, we should have the freedom to choose whichever worm we prefer to infect our system. What if I want a completely different family of worm on my system? Did these virus writers think of that? Feh on them.

      --
      Bearded Dragon
  2. Re:Reduced diversity. by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Seriously, though, is the decreased diversity in bot "heritage" a good thing -- does it mean that bot infections are easier to detect and treat? Or does it not make any bit of difference until the typical user learns to protect their PC?

    Your answer: "yes". Now where's my cookie?

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  3. "Or so I hear." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You are supposed to check the Post Anonymously box when you talk like that :)

    1. Re:"Or so I hear." by Spazntwich · · Score: 2, Funny

      If I were posting seriously, I would have.

      You get a lot of blank stares in casual conversation, don't you?

    2. Re:"Or so I hear." by karnal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Are you trying to say he/she works at Radio Shack?

      Oh wait, that'd be giving blank stares.... nevermind.

      --
      Karnal
  4. Re:Liability... by fm6 · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, they are living very well in Russia from their ill-gotten gains. So if I write a counter-bot, I get to go live in Russia? What an incentive!
  5. Re:Liability... by bcattwoo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, you are going to be in the same position as the folks that create botnets. We see every day how these people are treated.

    Are they arrested in thrown in jail? No, they are living very well in Russia from their ill-gotten gains.

    There is no liability unless you are a complete idiot. Or don't want to live in Russia.
  6. Two families??? by Vexler · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought they were Symantec and AVG.

    Oh, you mean *PUBLICLY* acknowledged virus writers?

  7. Re:There's a reason for that. by bcattwoo · · Score: 2, Funny

    SDBot is incredibly popular because it's open source

    Yeah, I used to Oscarbot, but the EULA with their latest upgrade was freakin' joke! Then they dropped support for Oscarbot 98, meanwhile their crappy software isn't even compatible with Vista. Thank God for OSS!

  8. Re:Does this make it easier for ISPs to spot them? by vertinox · · Score: 2, Funny

    Her next call will probably be to you. Problem solved.

    And for those who don't have geek relatives...

    Her next call will be to the ISP's tech in India who will say to call Microsoft who to says to call your OEM-Computer Vendor who says to call your Anti-virus vendor who tells you to call your local Geek squad who then proceeds to just somehow fry your video card while formatting your computer.

    Problem solved! Oh wait...

    --
    "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
    -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
  9. Re:Liability... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Either way, the law doesn't look to kindly on computer trespass even if (you *claim*) your intentions are good.

    "Your honor, the camera I installed in her bedroom was intended to be a security camera. For burglars, you know..."
  10. Re:Liability... by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Funny

    When I ever feel the urge to move to Russia, I'm gonna do that. Promised.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.