According to the 3G Communications Group website, "More than a million bot-infected computers", and they should know, since one of their Network Security professionals was running 250,000 of them.
3G terminated their 26 year old employee John Schiefer last week as the facts began to emerge. According to a Press Release from the US Attorney's Office in the Central District of California, Schiefer "and several associates" developed malware which they used to build botnets of up to 250,000 computers, which were primarily used for stealing credentials from Paypal and other sites the owners visited.
The case has been called newsworthy because it is the first time that wiretap charges are being leveled at a botmaster.
Schiefer has agreed to plead guilty to:
1. Accessing protected computers to conduct fraud.
2. Disclosing illegally intercepted electronic communications.
3. Wire fraud.
4. Bank fraud.
Schiefer operated online with the handle "AcidStorm". I can't prove that the two are related, but an AcidStorm on one webserver that I visited posts advertisements for well known anti-spyware software, with a convenient link for downloading. The software is real, and the description he gives in the post is real, but why does he suggest you download the software from RapidShare rather than directing you to the real website?
It would be interesting if this was the SAME AcidStorm, because this AcidStorm has uploaded SEVERAL illegally shared (and possibly hacked) programs SINCE pleading guilty on November 9.
Pimp Daddy of Freebies, indeed! *THIS* Acidstorm is at best a software pirate. It will be interesting to see if he is also planting Trojans in his Warez.
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