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Zotob Boys Get To Go Away For Awhile
Chris Crum
Staff Writer
2006-09-12
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Sophos reports that Farid Essebar and Achraf Bahloul, who took part in creating the Zotob worm have been sentenced to jail.
The worm is known to have hit computers CNN, ABC, The Financial Times, and The New York Times. Though the two plan to appeal their sentencing, according to Sophos, Essebar gets two years and Bahloul gets one.
Sophos writes:
The Zotob worm exploited the critical MS05-039 security vulnerability in Microsoft's software in August 2005. Amongst its victims was the CNN news station whose programming was disrupted because of infected computers.
Essebar, a Russian-born resident of Morocco, is believed by SophosLabs researchers to have used the handle "Diabl0", a phrase embedded inside the W32/Zotob-A worm. It is not unusual for malware authors to leave their handles inside their malicious code, sometimes alongside other messages. Sophos researchers have linked "Diabl0" to over 20 other pieces of malware.
Sophos adds that the Zotob worm is a sign of an upward trend in financially motivated malware.
"More and more malicious code is written with the intention of filling the pockets of the hackers," says Sophos senior technology consultant Graham Cluley.
"The authorities should be congratulated for working together to apprehend this gang, and for sending out a clear message that the crimes they committed are not going to be tolerated," added Cluley.
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About the Author:
Chris Crum is a staff writer for SecurityProNews and WebProNews.
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