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Leaked Online Chats Expose Author of Largest Spam Botnet

An anonymous reader writes "New analysis of financial records and online chat logs retrieved from the operators of Spamdot.biz — until recently the most notorious spam affiliate program — provides tantalizing clues about the identity of the man behind Cutwail, currently the largest spam botnet. Brian Krebs tells the story of 'Google,' the screen name used by the now-27-year-old botmaster who was part of a team of programmers in Moscow. Over the years, Cutwail has shifted from a spam cannon for male enhancement pills to a major vector for distributing malicious software."

78 comments

  1. But it works... by RobinEggs · · Score: 5, Funny

    But those pills totally work! I tried them and my dick got 69% longer in just 3 short...

    Hey, what's with all the laughing?

    1. Re:But it works... by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 2

      Why would you want a longer penis? Unless you are in really sad shape, women don't like being probed with a baseball bat.

      --

      "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
    2. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But those pills totally work! I tried them and my dick got 69% longer in just 3 short...

      And then it fell off, right?

    3. Re:But it works... by Spodi · · Score: 2

      Why would you want a longer penis? Unless you are in really sad shape, women don't like being probed with a baseball bat.

      Who said he is doing it for women?

    4. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, women don't care about the size of your dick. Its the way you swing it around your neck that gets them excited.

    5. Re:But it works... by FreakyGreenLeaky · · Score: 1

      my dick got 69% longer in just 3 short strokes.

      There, fixed that for you.

    6. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yeah, it's ridiculous. When talking about penis size we can't just use a tape measure, we need a scale and a protractor as well:

      [(Length x Diameter) + (Weight/Girth)] / (AngleOfTheTip^2)

    7. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yes, this is true. I post anonymously because it is a bit embarassing and I don't want to appear to be bragging.

      When I got married, both I and my wife were virgins. The first couple of times we had sex, she complained of the pain. I assumed it was just the whole virgin thing. Turns out, when erect, the circumference of my penis is twice the average. It is not much longer than average at 7.75" but when flacid it is much smaller.

      The sex life got better after an epiziotomy (spelling?) but until then it wasn't pleasant. So men who wish for a big penis have no idea what they are wishing for.

    8. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +5 POINTS TO THIS GENTLEMAN.

      Basically, my member seems rather normal as it's flaccid but as it erects it will grow to some 21cm or so. Fortunately, my circumference isn't all that daunting, but most of my encounters with the opposite sex have resulted in my companion have been interrupted by "THAT BIG???". Also, repeatedly pounding the uterus, trying to get through to the stomach isn't necessarily what women appreciate and look for in a sexual encounter.

      So for a while I was trying hard to do as the pr0n-stars: mount and pound. While this is something a few women enjoy, it's always good to know that you can actually physically fit in there before you get at it.

    9. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I forgot but what I was really going to point out was that the "talking points" brought up by supposedly "well hung" individuals, never really deals with real problems that occur. like the cock hitting the porcelain in the toilet (ewww), to the head peeping out of shorts..

      basically, having a large cock isn't all that

    10. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i thought the proper T.M.I equation was ((L x G) / (A)) / (M / W)

    11. Re:But it works... by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1
    12. Re:But it works... by evanism · · Score: 1

      This is a real problem and it's gross. Tucking it in when using the public facilities is pretty hard to do. Then it gets near the water. Even worse.

      --
      Just bought a new quantum computer, but I'm uncertain how it works.
    13. Re:But it works... by VortexCortex · · Score: 1

      Not to mention having to hold it up a bit, but angled down while taking a dump... so it doesn't droop in the water...
      ...to say nothing of plopping down on a chair and accidentally sitting on the family jewels.

      You know, Women get to show off their external reproductive organs... Most jeans & pants don't accommodate male genitalia well. I mean, women's clothes are made to fit their bosoms, but men's seem to be made as if their organ doesn't exist at all. A spandex pouch or cup should be sewn in to the crotch, or at least a bit more material should be present so it has somewhere to go when one sits down... stuffing it down a pants leg can be problematic & quite embarrassing: "Oh, did you hurt your leg? It looks quite swollen." Uhm, thanks for your concern, but no I didn't; That's just my manhood. Many people assume inappropriate arousal too.

      ... was it good for you?
      Yeah, but I was a little scared by it at first.
      Oh, you're just experiencing "X-com 2".
      ...?...
      You know, "Terror from the deep."

    14. Re:But it works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sit down facing the tank.

    15. Re:But it works... by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1

      like the cock hitting the porcelain in the toilet (ewww)

      Well, when flacid, those large cocks are usually not any larger than normal ones. So, while peeing or shitting, this shouldn't be a problem.

      But people may use the toilet for other activities than peeing and shitting... and in a small hotel toilet, even a normal-sized cock may touch the porcelain...

    16. Re:But it works... by antdude · · Score: 1

      Mine isn't that big and never used it for sex (also a virgin). I wonder if mine will be OK if I ever get to use it (have to find a woman to marry too). :(

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  2. From Viagra to viruses... by sidthegeek · · Score: 1

    ...how they grow up so fast!

  3. Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get them. by sethstorm · · Score: 0, Troll

    The US Government knows where they are, why not just go and black-bag them? Repeat until the spam stops, no matter what country.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  4. Arrest by Chemisor · · Score: 1, Funny

    Please arrest him now for terrorism (of small penis owners).

    1. Re:Arrest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What was that paragraph? "Just put him in a cell with all the men who bought viagra from him!"

    2. Re:Arrest by Spad · · Score: 2

      Is that like a small business owner?

  5. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by stanlyb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now i am no more wondering how such a monster like SOPA, PIPA was created...

  6. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by SharkLaser · · Score: 1

    Should we do the same for pirates?

  7. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by vlm · · Score: 1

    Unlikely, they serve the govt by compiling lists of gullible people; in other words they know who is an ideal voter / jurist / consumer.

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  8. we can only hope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    he meets the same fate as Vardan Kushnir

  9. Re:Google by imsabbel · · Score: 2

    Also has the advantage that it is basically untraceable... i mean, what to you want, google it?

    --
    HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
  10. Should've called himself Microsoft by NicknameOne · · Score: 0

    Then the name would be more fitting.

  11. Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just because the US government has power to do a lot of locally illegal things around the world doesn't mean it should use that power every time we see something annoying. What's next? Nuking Justin Bieber?

    1. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bieber is DA BOMB!

    2. Re:Nah by g0bshiTe · · Score: 1

      Just because the US government has power to do a lot of locally illegal things around the world doesn't mean it should use that power every time we see something annoying. What's next? Nuking Justin Bieber?

      Right, cause they've never done that in the past.

      --
      I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
    3. Re:Nah by ridley4 · · Score: 1

      Nuking Justin Bieber?

       
      I find your ideas interesting, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

    4. Re:Nah by sethstorm · · Score: 1

      Just because the US government has power to do a lot of locally illegal things around the world doesn't mean it should use that power every time we see something annoying.

      Letting them continue in a country that doesn't care isn't the best option either.

      What's next? Nuking Justin Bieber?

      I'd think you'd want to defuse him.

      --
      Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
    5. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bieber got me pregnant in '84!

    6. Re:Nah by justforgetme · · Score: 1

      You can defuse him by nuking him.

      --
      -- no sig today
  12. Normally by Fuzzums · · Score: 0

    Normally I'm not a fan of Mossad style kidnappings in foreign countries, covert CIA flights and water boarding.
    This time I'll make an exception.

    Ok, I will not. Just arrest him and pwn his ass :)

    --
    Privacy is terrorism.
    1. Re:Normally by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Far simpler to punish those ISPs that fail to detect and notify customers of bot machines. It's not like the behaviour has very unique and easily detectable characteristics which can be detected at either end.

      So at the receivers, simply make a report, validate to confirm via the number of reports and notify and fix the sender or disconnect. I know it will cost ISPs quite a bit but it costs everyone else even more to let it continue.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    2. Re:Normally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL, get real, nerd. No one would even understand what the ISP was telling them and they would consider it disruption of a paid service. The Attorney General would get involved and he wouldn't understand it as anything but disruption of service without grounds to disrupt it.

      I'm sure you believe ISPs should be carriers of data only and perform no packet inspection or interference with the traffic. If I'm wrong on that, then please correct me (you would be in a minority to have those views on this site). Otherwise, you are a completely hypocritical douchbag.

    3. Re:Normally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We should also punish ISPs that allow their users to download torrents and usenet binaries. In fact, we should punish them if they even resolve DNS for those sites. They should have to honor a government issued blacklist of domains and redirect all of those to a standard block page. We should also punish ISPs that allow their customers to access alternative DNS servers. We should punish ISPs that allow any of their customers to circumvent these measures.

      Fucking dumbass nerd. Get the fuck off this site.

      PS, while waiting for my AC posting timeout: You're actually perfect for what this site has become. Your comment is one of many in this story that shine with hypocrisy. I haven't read a single comment on this story that upholds the values and convictions that slahdotters trumpet around on practically every other story.

      I, for one, have no problem with spam. I think the problem was conquered a long time ago. All of the spam filters that filter my mail are fine. Gmail spam filtering is fine. All email providers offer spam filtering. If you host your own email, there are plenty of filtering solutions from software to appliances to hosted. I like hosted services, because you can IP restrict incoming email to only them, they usually have outbound filtering and you can IP restrict SMTP from your network to only them (so you can't spam the world), and they usually have mail spooling in case your server or internet connection is down for an extended period of time, people don't get NDRs.

      Again, you're a fucking idiot.

  13. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by colinrichardday · · Score: 1

    I hope you meant "juror" instead of "jurist".

  14. I wonder by cvtan · · Score: 1

    Maybe we should all send him mail...

    --
    Sorry, but gray text on gray background is making my eyes bleed.
  15. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because the pill-makers and end-salesmen are tax paying lobbyists.
    Whether the profits are pocketed by the mafia or "honest" businessmen is irrelevant, mostly because it's hard to tell one from the other.

  16. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by gman003 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Funny how, when it's (suspected) terrorists, drug lords, etc., most posters here argue for a fair, open trial, legal rendition and all that. Shut down Gitmo, stop the drone killings, stop the indefinite holdings, because we're becoming that which we fight.

    But a spammer? Call in the CIA, call in DEVGRU, call in Jack Bauer, that man needs to be dead YESTERDAY, no matter the cost!

  17. Re:Google by inviolet · · Score: 4, Informative

    Also has the advantage that it is basically untraceable... i mean, what to you want, google it?

    Yep, a clever choice of alias.

    According to TFA, the Cutwail guy's real name is supposedly Dmitry Sergeyvich Nechvolod, phone number +7-916-4444474.

    --
    FATMOUSE + YOU = FATMOUSE
  18. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    because we're becoming that which we fight. But a spammer?

    We're becoming spammers?

  19. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Hatta · · Score: 2

    Sure. What are the Somalis going to do about it?

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  20. Spam Cannon? by mentil · · Score: 5, Funny

    Spam cannon not large enough for your payload to reach people's inboxes? Try some herbal V14gr4.

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  21. Re:Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Looks like operating a botnet isn't evil after all.

  22. Re:Google by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 1

    Hi Dmitry!

  23. It's the multiple account Apple Troll bonch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  24. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hmm ... not sure I'm following the point you're trying to make

  25. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 1

    No, he's from Holland, where 'jurist' means 'lawyer' or 'attorney'.

    bjd

  26. Luckily my Spambox Dentata filtered you out by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 1

    <marked as spam>

  27. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by icebraining · · Score: 2

    Newsflash: different people on the same site have different opinions! Freaky, I know.

  28. Hahahahaaah !!! From moscow ? by unity100 · · Score: 2

    Yeah. do that. And the next day we are back to stone age.

    Exaggeration ? Dont think so. the mafia that runs russia is as strong as the mafia that runs u.s.. And neither mafia would allow the other to kill their important assets in the dirty games they play.

    You'd think that the author of world's largest botnet would be dealing in just viagra spam ? think again ...

    1. Re:Hahahahaaah !!! From moscow ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no get the guys who wrote suxnet to hack his system and distribute anti Putin stuff or leak stuff to wikileaks about Russian corruption he would soon fall down the stairs in his apartment block - he's made his bed let him lie in it

  29. The difference by KingSkippus · · Score: 1

    Is anyone arguing that the guy shouldn't get a fair, open trial, legal rendition, and all that? I know I'm not. Learn the difference between, "We should identify people committing crimes," and, "We should string people up without due process."

    1. Re:The difference by gman003 · · Score: 1

      Is anyone arguing that the guy shouldn't get a fair, open trial, legal rendition, and all that? I know I'm not. Learn the difference between, "We should identify people committing crimes," and, "We should string people up without due process."

      Quote sethstorm:

      The US Government knows where they are, why not just go and black-bag them? Repeat until the spam stops, no matter what country.

    2. Re:The difference by paper+tape · · Score: 1

      By all means, give him a fair trial.

      Then execute him.

      ...and his business associates, friends, family, and dog.

  30. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by colinrichardday · · Score: 1

    It means something similar in American English. I was hoping that such people were not that gullible.

  31. Really? by __aaltlg1547 · · Score: 1

    "... provides tantalizing clues about the identity of the man behind Cutwail, ... Over the years, Cutwail has shifted from a spam cannon for male enhancement pills to a major vector for distributing malicious software."

    You just had to go there, didn't you?

  32. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Spammers are fronts for fraudsters, and that generally means organized crime. Spam costs industry billions of wasted revenue fighting it with umpteen services and third party add-ons to get it under control.

    Seeing as it's not real companies selling real products, all that money is being stolen. Death penalty seems pretty reasonable.

  33. hahaha by unity100 · · Score: 1

    yeah he would .... hahahahaa ....

  34. Prosecute those using their services as well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    IMHO, those companies paying for these spammers' services should be prosecuted as well. Because, if these companies were not there in the first place, these spammers should not have existed.

  35. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by sethstorm · · Score: 1

    Dead by our hands? No.

    Just get them in a less fraudulent jurisdiction such as the US, then offer them the following choices:

      They can tell all and get a long prison sentence in a well-protected facility within the US.

      They can be turned back to the country that they came from, where they would most likely end up dead by fellow criminals.

    If anything, you would be saving their lives and taking out a conduit for malware and spam.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  36. For just $1 from each geek, we can take him out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just think... for only $1 donated from each geek/victim of spam here on /., we could "incentivize" (sp) a "contractor" to take care of this guy...

    Maybe someone needs to open a kickstarter fund for this activity...

  37. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The spammers do more damage to the economy and the average american than any nutty muslim

  38. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by rangerfan558 · · Score: 1

    Well, I am affected daily by not only spam, but the need to have an antivirus program "control" my actions. So, Yes, Die you Spamming Commie

  39. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by satuon · · Score: 1

    The people who say 'black-bag them' probably aren't the same people who talk against Gitmo.

  40. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by satuon · · Score: 1

    The goal of terrorism isn't the actual damage, it's to instill fear and provoke self-destructive reactions. I don't know what the direct damages caused by the terrorists were, but indirectly they caused the 2 wars, which have cost (correct me if I'm wrong) in excess of 1 trillion dollars. I seriously doubt that spammers have cost the economy 1 trillion.

  41. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by SigmundFloyd · · Score: 1

    Die you Spamming Commie

    If communism was still in place, you'd get no spam from Russia. It's capitalism that begets spam, not communism.

    --
    Knowledge is power; knowledge shared is power lost.
  42. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by rangerfan558 · · Score: 1

    I give you that point, but then they would move to less oppressive area/islands/counties

  43. Re:Stop caring about jurisdiction and just get the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you've been watching wayyy to much television.

  44. Re:More slashcrap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Dowmodded for misuse of the word "assembler." I think you were referring to assembly language, but you specifically referenced the tool used to compile assembly language files into executable code (yes, it's complied when you have multiple source files, symbolic names, etc.). It makes no sense.

    I see that the fags over at wikipedia allowed this misuse of the term into the article without a citation. What a bunch of nerds.

  45. Re:Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    According to TFA, the Cutwail guy's real name is supposedly Dmitry Sergeyvich Nechvolod, phone number +7-916-4444474

    That, or TFA's author really doesn't like someone named Dmitry Sergeyvich Nchvolod, phone number +7-916-4444474

  46. Google exposed for running giant botnet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FTFY

    Seriously, how could you let this chance for a headline slip?