Computer Security Company Takes Out Enormous Botnet
Computer Security Company Takes Out Enormous Botnet
Posted 11/10/2009 at 4:30pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
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Security firm FireEye has reportedly struck a massive blow against spam. The so called “Mega-D” or “Ozdok” spam botnet was effectively dismantled by these intrepid security researchers. After studying the beast, FireEye launched an attack by notifying ISPs, having command and control (CnC) domains removed, and then registering unused CnC domains.
Almost immediately, the spam ceased. No small feat, considering Ozdok was probably responsible for one third of the world’s spam. This takes the load off ISPs which were forced to filter the spam from this botnet. Individual users probably won’t notice much difference.
FireEye found that over 246,000 zombie machines were reporting to the CnC domains in their possession after the takedown. The security firm plans to work with ISPs to indentify the owners of the PCs so they may remove the malicious software.
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JohnP
November 11, 2009 at 12:37pm
That we would be fighting computerized control of a hundred thousand zombie machines spitting out viral advertising with teams of international computer scientists writing world wide kill routines...
lhatten
November 10, 2009 at 6:58pm
The most important thing is for the ISPs to notify their customers to clean their PCs. I think more effort should go into finding zombies and informing the user to clean up their PCs or loose connection.
n0ctis
November 10, 2009 at 6:33pm
While this one definitely goes down in the "Awesome" column, this was a has-been botnet that only accounts for 4% of the current spam flux (a far cry from its once 33.3~%).
________________________________________________________________
.: vires et honos :.
nekollx
November 10, 2009 at 4:59pm
byyyyytes
byyyytesssss
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