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Citadel Botnet Operator Gets 4.5 Years In Prison

Posted by Soulskill on from the in-the-jailhouse-now dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that Dimitry Belorossov, a.k.a. Rainerfox, an operator of the "Citadel" malware, has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison following a guilty plea. Citadel was a banking trojan capable of stealing financial information. Belorossov and others distributed it through spam emails and malvertising schemes. He operated a 7,000-strong botnet with the malware, and also collaborated to improve it. The U.S. government estimates Citadel was responsible for $500 million in losses worldwide. Belorossov will have to pay over $320,000 in restitution.

5 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. the penalty is way to light by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For the damage and grief he caused people I'd be happy if he was locked up and the key thrown away. 4.5 years is far too light.

    1. Re:the penalty is way to light by ShaunC · · Score: 2

      Hold up, as the summary doesn't jive with the facts. From the DOJ's release, emphasis mine,

      According to industry estimates, Citadel, and other botnets like it, infected approximately 11 million computers worldwide and are responsible for over $500 million in losses. In 2012, Belorossov downloaded a version of Citadel, which he then used to operate a Citadel botnet primarily from Russia. Belorossov remotely controlled over 7,000 victim bots, including at least one infected computer system with an IP address resolving to the Northern District of Georgia.

      This guy didn't create the malware, he wasn't responsible for 11 million infections, nor was he responsible for $500 million in losses. He downloaded and tweaked some existing bank trojan, got it onto 7,000 computers, and stole some undetermined amount of money, which the DOJ has not disclosed but which is probably much closer to his restitution amount of ~$320K than it is to $500M.

      --
      Thanks to the War on Drugs, it's easier to buy meth than it is to buy cold medicine!
  2. Hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    $500M in losses...$320k in restitution...hmmmm

    1. Re:Hmmm by rmdingler · · Score: 3, Insightful
      He purchased and downloaded a Citadel banking trojan.

      He's 22 now... so kitty or hacker? IDK.

      He was wrong, he is certainly a thief, and should be punished; but he's not responsible for anywhere near the whole Citadel fiasco.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

  3. He should have incorporated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    He should have incorporated his business. Then he could have just apologized as CEO and given himself a huge severance package as he walked out the door.