Operation: Bot Roast: Difference between revisions
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'''Operation: Bot Roast''' is an operation by the [[FBI]] to track down '''[[bot herder]]''' or hackers who install malicious software on computers through the Internet without the owners’ knowledge, which turns the computer into a [[zombie computer]] that then sends out spam |
'''Operation: Bot Roast''' is an operation by the [[FBI]] to track down '''[[bot herder]]''' or hackers who install malicious software on computers through the Internet without the owners’ knowledge, which turns the computer into a [[zombie computer]] that then sends out spam to other computers from the compromised [[zombie computer]], making a [[botnet]] or network of bot infected computers. The operation was launched because the vast size of the [[botnet]] poses a threat to [[national security]].<ref name="fbi">{{cite press release |
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| title = OPERATION: BOT ROAST ‘Bot-herders’ Charged as Part of Initiative |
| title = OPERATION: BOT ROAST ‘Bot-herders’ Charged as Part of Initiative |
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| publisher = Federal Bureau of Investigations |
| publisher = Federal Bureau of Investigations |
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Revision as of 12:54, 22 July 2007
Operation: Bot Roast is an operation by the FBI to track down bot herder or hackers who install malicious software on computers through the Internet without the owners’ knowledge, which turns the computer into a zombie computer that then sends out spam to other computers from the compromised zombie computer, making a botnet or network of bot infected computers. The operation was launched because the vast size of the botnet poses a threat to national security.[1]
The results
The operation was created to disrupt and disassemble bot herder. The FBI has identified about 1 million computers that were compromised, and to arrest the persons responsible for creating the malware, and notify the owners of infected computers.[2]
Some early results of the operation include the charging:
- Robert Alan Soloway of Seattle, Washington, is accused of using botnets to send tens of millions of spam messages touting his website.[1]
- James C. Brewer of Arlington, Texas, is accused of infecting tens of thousands of computers worldwide, including some at Chicago-area hospitals.[1]
- Jason Michael Downey of Covington, Kentucky, is charged with using botnets to disable other systems.[1]
Abilities of bot herders
- Steal the computer owner’s identity.[1]
- Launch massive spam campaigns.[1]
- Engage in click-fraud - schemes which artificially inflate the number of visitors to a website.[1]
- Launch denial of service attacks that can cripple web servers and crash sites.[1]
References
External links
- OnGuardOnline.gov - Botnets and Hackers and Spam (Oh, My!) OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
- United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team ST06-001-Understanding Hidden Threats: Rootkits and Botnets
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