Police in New Zealand have questioned a teenager believed to be the ringleader of an international cyber-crime group.The group is alleged to have infiltrated more than one million computers and skimmed millions of dollars from people’s bank accounts.The teenager, who is 18, cannot be named for legal reasons but was known by an alias as “Akill”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7120251.stmAlso see:
Police raid NZ botmaster blamed for 1 million infections
Police have raided the home of the alleged ringleader of an international group of cybercriminals said to be responsible for infecting more than one million computers. The raid was conducted earlier this week at the New Zealand residence of the alleged botmaster, known online as AKILL. It was part of a joint effort by New Zealand police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/02E722450BA41720CC2573A3000EACC6
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1357849711;fp;2;fpid;1FBI Nabs Eight in Second ‘Bot Roast’
The FBI said today that it has nailed eight individuals in the second phase of its anti-botnet initiative, dubbed “Operation Bot Roast.” Eight men have been indicted, plead guilty, or been sentenced for crimes related to botnet activity, the FBI said. Additionally, 13 search warrants were served in the U.S. and by overseas law enforcement partners in connection with the operation. Operation Bot Roast so far has uncovered more than $20 million in economic losses and more than one million victim computers, the agency said.
http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=140194Second helping of FBI’s Bot Roast serves eight
The FBI on Thursday announced that eight individuals have been indicted, pled guilty or have been sentenced to prison over the last few months for crimes related to botnet activity. In addition, it said that 13 search warrants were served in the U.S. and by overseas law enforcement authorities on individuals thought to be connected with botnet-related activities. Among those whose residences were searched was an individual in New Zealand using the online username AKILL, and who is believed to the leader of an international botnet coding group, according to the FBI’s statement.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9050178New Zealand Questions Top Cyber Suspect [AP]
Police questioned the suspected teenage kingpin of an international cyber crime network accused of infiltrating 1.3 million computers and skimming millions of dollars from victims’ bank accounts, officials said. Working with the FBI and police in the Netherlands, New Zealand police raided the home of the 18-year-old in the North Island city of Hamilton and took him into custody along with several computers, said Martin Kleintjes, head of the police electronic crime center.
hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CYBER_ATTACKS_ARRESTS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-30-01-59-52
