Ask HN: What's in it for the author of Conficker?

#1

Post by oldwesley » Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 5:53 PM UTC

I was reading that Microsoft is offering $250,000 for information leading to the author of the Conficker virus. So, why would someone write such a thing and put themselves in the crosshairs of authorities? How does the author profit from this mess?

Re: Ask HN: What's in it for the author of Conficker?

#2

Post by oldwesley » Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 5:54 PM UTC

This is the NYTimes piece where they discuss the Microsoft reward:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/technology/internet/01viru...

Re: Ask HN: What's in it for the author of Conficker?

#3

Post by khafra » Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 6:17 PM UTC

Worms aren't created by the likes of RTM(1) anymore; malware has been big business, and global, for quite a while now. Conficker was probably created by a professional malware engineer, or a team of them, working for somebody like the Russian Business Network(2)--and in a jurisdiction that makes legal prosecution difficult.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Tappan_Morris (2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Business_Network

Re: Ask HN: What's in it for the author of Conficker?

#4

Post by oldwesley » Wed, Apr 01, 2009, 7:36 PM UTC

khafra wrote: post #3

Worms aren't created by the likes of RTM(1) anymore; malware has been big business, and global, for quite a while now. Conficker was probably created by a professional malware engineer, or a team of them, working for somebody like the Russian Business Network(2)--and in a jurisdiction that makes legal prosecution difficult. (1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Tappan_Morris (2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian…

wiki: The RBN has been described by VeriSign as "the baddest of the bad"

Great links. Thanks. Can't believe rtm didn't serve any jail time.