Microsoft Secretly Shuts Down Botnet

Microsoft Secretly Shuts Down Botnet

IT services provider Microsoft has secretly decided to do something about the popular Waledac botnet that threatened the IT security of many IT services users. So, this action was approved in court and the software giant can deactivate 277 domain names that control a vast network of infected PCs. This botnet is being used to send no less than 1.5 billion spam messages every day and infect PCs with malware.

Microsoft accused 27 defendants of the fact that they were violating federal computer crime laws and wanted domain registrar Verisign temporarily deactivate the domains. District Judge Leonie Brinkema approved the request without making it public so that operators of the botnet wouldn't find out and switch domains. The company said in a post on the Internet that "Although the zombies are now largely out of the bot-herders’ control, they are still infected with the original malware."