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Microsoft Slaps $250K Bounty On Conficker Worm
alphadogg writes "The spreading Conficker/Downadup worm is now viewed as such a significant threat that it's inspired the formation of a posse to stop it, with Microsoft leading the charge by offering a $250,000 reward to bring the Conficker malware bad guys to justice. The money will be paid for 'information that results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for illegally launching the Conficker malicious code on the Internet,' Microsoft said today in a statement, adding it is fostering a partnership with Internet registries and DNA providers such as ICANN, ORG, and NeuStar as well as security vendors Symantec and Arbor Networks, among others, to stop the Conficker worm once and for all. Conficker, also called Downadup, is estimated to have infected at least 10 million PCs. It has been slowly but surely spreading since November. Its main trick is to disable anti-malware protection and block access to anti-malware vendors' Web sites."
2. Give it to a bunch of script kiddies anonymously in bulletin boards.
3. ...
4. Turn them in to MSFT for the bounty.
5. Profit
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
US$398 to fix security problems with their software...
"Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
Has Conficker done anything malicious yet? Last I heard it all it has done is to extend and protect its installed base and has not yet been used to do any attacks.
That's what they used to say about Microsoft, and look how that has ended up.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
DNA providers such as ICANN, ORG, and NeuStar
Hey, I'm a DNA provider too, baby.
Symantec, which is contributing its malware-analysis expertise to the group, believes there are two main versions of Conflicker, "Flavor A" and "Flavor B,"
The flavors were determined using LOLCATS. True story.
Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
Here we are in the middle of a thread discussing how a recent one of the million pieces of Windows malware has zombied 12 million computers around the world, and you're here to remind us that Windows is more secure because somebody somewhere said so.
Nice. Thanks.
Help stamp out iliturcy.