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Microsoft Leads Sting Operation Against Zeus Botnets

Posted by samzenpus on from the don't-bot-me-bro dept.

wiredmikey writes "Microsoft, in what it called its 'most complex effort to disrupt botnets to date,' and in collaboration with partners from the financial services industry, has successfully taken down operations that fuel a number of botnets that make up the notorious Zeus family of malware. In what Microsoft is calling 'Operation b71,' Microsoft and its co-plaintiffs, escorted by U.S. Marshals, seized command and control (C&C) servers in two hosting locations on March 23 in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Lombard, Illinois. The move was to seize and preserve data and evidence from the botnets for the case. In addition to seizing the C&C servers, the group took down two IP addresses behind the Zeus command and control structure, and secured 800 domains that Microsoft is now monitoring and using to help identify computers infected by Zeus."

3 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. Re:As a linux fanboi it sticks in my throat but.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    So Microsoft is doing a few things to try to clean up the consequences of their OS's nonexistent security.
    BFD.

  2. Microsoft CAUSES botnets by gavron · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    > "Today, Microsoft announced in what it called its 'most complex effort to disrupt botnets to date,'

    Microsoft Windows = Botnets. If it weren't for Windows being one vulnerability after another there would be no viruses, worms, Trojan horses, bots, botnets, C&C, DDoS, or other compromised systems.

    Microsoft's INSISTENCE that W95 should allow W3.1 software to run... that W98 should allow W3.1 software to run... that even with the NT kernel in place W3.1 software should still run (W2K, WXP), and even with the UAC W3.1 software should still run (WVista, W7) is what makes these "horrors" come to life.

    If there's one finger to point, it is pointed at Microsoft. That is the company that is hell-bent on making sure they collect as much money as they can offering meager upgrades in function but NEVER adding security. That way old DOS 3.1 programs still work fine on today's PC, and Viruses and worms and botnets have no problems taking an unprivileged process into full kernel control.

    Microsoft CAUSES botnets. Their pitiful efforts to tweak one or two C&C servers are beneath contempt.

    E

  3. BS by Cherubim1 · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    This is a laughable propaganda from Microscoff. Anyone with some sense knows that Microsoft's flawed operating systems are the largest contributor to Botnets. It's like using a fly swatter to stop the spread of a locust invasion.