Massive botnet is infiltrated by U.S. cyber crime fighters
The FBI has zeroed in on some 2.3 million computers that made up a ‘botnet’—a network of infected or ‘zombie’ computers. Using never-before-used methods, investigators took control of the network to shut down malware—malicious software—logged IP addresses of compromised PCs, and then reported those addresses to Internet service providers (ISPs). That means that if your PC was used by this network, your ISP has been made aware and should notify you. The botnet was infected with malware which can record keystrokes, allowing criminals to take over computers and steal passwords, banking, and credit card information. The U.S. Justice Department had to seek court permission to carry out this method, as privacy experts had questioned its legality.