Microsoft disrupts web fraud botnet ZeroAccess ZeroAccess,

ZeroAccess, one of the world’s largest botnets – a network of computers infected with malware to trigger online fraud – has been disrupted by Microsoft and law enforcement agencies.ZeroAccess hijacks web search results and redirects users to potentially dangerous sites to steal their details.It also dupes advertisers by generating fraud clicks for their ads on infected computers and generate payouts.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25227592Also see:Microsoft, Europol claim victory in taking down ZeroAccess botnet
Microsoft said late Thursday that it executed a concerted action with Europol against the servers and domains controlled by the Sirefef or ZeroAccess botnet.The botnet, responsible for hijacking about 2 million PCs and using them for clickjacking and search fraud, was recently crippled by Symantec, which discovered a way to retake control of about a quarter of the infected PCs. More than 800,000 ZeroAccess-infected PCs were active and connected at any given time, research by UC San Diego showed. Although the botnet is expected to remain active, Microsoft said that it had “significantly disrupted” it.
www.pcworld.com/article/2069880/microsoft-europol-claim-victory-in-taking-down-zeroaccess-botnet.htmlMicrosoft leads disruption of largest infected global PC network
Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it had disrupted the largest network of compromised personal computers, involving some 2 million machines around the world, since it stepped up its battle against organized online criminals three years ago.The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant filed a lawsuit in Texas and won a judge’s order directing Internet service providers to block all traffic to 18 Internet addresses that were used to direct fraudulent activity to the infected machines.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/06/uk-microsoft-cybercrime-idUKBRE9B503F20131206
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/12/06/microsoft-cybercrime-idINDEE9B501Y20131206