Microsoft Uses Court Order To Cripple Waledac Botnet

[Brian Warkoczeski]

Microsoft Uses Court Order To Cripple Waledac Botnet

Jennifer Leclaire, newsfactor.com

Feb 25, 2010

Microsoft is cracking down on botnets through the legal system -- and 
winning. The software giant launched a legal assault this week against 
networks of compromised computers controlled by hackers, and a federal 
judge in Alexandria, Va., agreed to its request to deactivate 277 
infringing domain names.

The story began unfolding on Monday when Microsoft filed a suit 
specifically naming a botnet known as Waledac and 27 "John Doe" 
defendants. Microsoft alleged the cybercriminals broke federal laws with 
their scheme to create bot-herders that could be used for spamming, 
click fraud, denial of service, and distribution of malicious software.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft attorneys asked U.S. 
District Judge Leonie Brinkema to issue a restraining order under seal 
to allow the software giant to secretly sever communications channels to 
the botnet before its masterminds could reestablish links to the 
network. VeriSign subsequently had to temporarily shut down the domain 
names.

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