Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft, FBI Takedown Citadel Botnet
hypnosec writes "Microsoft in collaboration with the FBI have successfully taken down the Citadel botnet which was known to control millions of PCs across the globe and was allegedly responsible for bank fraud in excess of $500 million. Citadel was known to have over 1,400 instances across the globe with most located in the US, Europe, India, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. It would install key-logging tools on target systems, which were then used to steal online banking credentials."
Call me when they take down the bankers who have illegally laundered trillions of dollars in the LIBOR scandal.
The FBI should use the C&C servers to force the machines to run Windows Update and clean the machines of the virus. The users obviously don't want to take care of their own machine, and if something goes wrong they'll know that they had a virus.
I don't think that "instance" means infected machine here. I would say likely it would be some sort of control node of the botnet. If you have many control nodes, it is much harder to take control of the botnet as a whole.
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
On *Windows* target systems, you mean.
on the phone and lead them thru the process of cleaning up their infected machine.
That worked perfectly when they called me :-)
Exactly! The number refers to Command & Control (C2) servers worldwide. In fact, Citadel has three types of C2 server: Binary for the actual malware, Config for the configuration file (eg a list of targets), and Drop for the stolen data.
Lots of good info at the ZeuS Tracker:
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/faq.php
Good god; we better avoid anything that is only one molecule away from another!
I'm not sure of the validity of your claims on margarine, so references would have been nice. However I used to drive past a margarine factory in Sydney most evenings and the smell coming out of that place has ensured I will never consciously eat margarine.
hell that's nothing, Dihydrogen Monoxide is only one ATOM away from being a substance known to cause a condition called Black Hairy Tongue as well as abdominal pains, vomiting, and diarhea!
Ice Cream has no bones.
TFA says "... which was known to control millions of PCs across the globe"
I know, read TFA - what's wrong with me?
It gripped her hand gently. 'Regret is for humans,' it said.
There's an android malware discussion one article up on the front page which would benefit from your pointed and unbiased opinion. I will wait patiently for your post.
out of the banks hands and put right back into the economy by the perps. Nothings to see, move along....
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
Sorry, do you think key loggers are impossible on Linux or something?
A car made by GM probably will explode if attacked by hostile parties.
THL phish sticks
It seems I'm the only one who questions such things, but:
On whose authority was this action pursued?
Since when does the FBI or MSFT or RIAA or MPAA or North Korea or Anonymous or [etc] have a right to diddle with others computers?
What gives them (for any incarnation of "them") the authority to modify privately-owned computers?
If it's for the indiscriminate greater good, then that seems more like military action...which I don't think the FBI is authorized to deal with, and certainly not any private US-based company.
(To be clear: I'm happy whenever I hear about a botnet being destroyed. But I'm unhappy whenever I see the government or anyone else assuming authority where none has been granted.)
Kid-proof tablet..
"Sorry, do you think key loggers are impossible on Linux or something?"
No. I'm simply stating that this specific key-logger is focused on windows systems.
For platform-specific malware I it would be good always mentioning which platforms it affects.
If corporations are writing the laws, they might as well be enforcing them too ;-)
Takedown is a noun.
Take down is the phrasal verb your title is looking for.
Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...
That's true. In much the same way that pure water is but ONE MOLECULE away from being SULFURIC ACID.
"Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife