Thread: Vunerable Botnet

Infected Australian computers fetch top dollar

http://www.smh.com.au/news/security/...602560478.html

Asher Moses
March 21, 2008 - 8:30AM

Hackers are paying top dollar on international blackmarkets for computers from Australia that have been unknowingly hijacked and infected with spyware.
A Russian malware distribution site offers $US100 for a haul of 1000 spyware-infected Australian machines, double the price offered for US machines and 30 times more than those from Asia.
Philip Routley, product marketing manager at internet security firm MessageLabs, said he believed the high price tag on Australian machines was due to the fact that Australians were more ignorant about computer security threats than people from other parts of the world.
The Russian site, InstallsCash, offers to pay unscrupulous website operators for every 1000 machines they infect with spyware. All the website operator has to do is insert a line of code into their web page, and anyone visiting that site is infected with spyware.
For instance, someone could load the code on to their website and if the site is viewed by 100,000 Australians in a day, the site operator could earn up to $10,000 in one hit, assuming all viewers are infected.

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Infected machines are then added to a "botnet" controlled by InstallsCash, and the party responsible for the infection is paid accordingly.
A botnet - sometimes called a zombie network - is a remotely-controlled group of computers that have been infected by a virus. The computers owners have no inkling that their machines are infected.
Hackers often buy and sell botnets in order to use the computers' horsepower and internet connections to surreptitiously send spam emails, launch thousands of virus attacks or host malicious sites.
Routley said infected PCs in Australia were in demand by spammers and spyware writers because of "low awareness and [a lack of] checks in place by users to look for infected PCs that might be part of a botnet".
This means there is a higher chance that hackers can maintain control of Australian PCs for longer.
"Consumers need to regularly ensure their security software is up to date and run regular scans for spyware and other malware," Routley said.
"Organisations need to roll out regular third party independent tests on the security of their websites."
Prices (US dollars per 1000 infected machines)
Australia 100
UK 60
Italy 60
US 50
France 25
Netherlands 25
Denmark 25
Spain 25
Greece 25
Poland 18
Other 18
Asia 3