Akbot

Akbot is the name of a computer virus that added about 1.3 million computers to a botnet network.[1]

Infection

Akbot is an IRC controlled backdoor program. It allows an outside user to take control of the infected computer. Akbot operates by joining IRC servers and the waiting for further instructions. Once installed, Akbot can be used to gather data, kill processes, or perform DDOS attacks.[2] The size of the botnet is unknown, but it is believed to be large enough to cause a University of Pennsylvania server to crash after the botmaster conspired with a student there to launch a DDOS attack on several IRC servers and a security forum called ssgroup.org.

Source

The author, 18 year old New Zealand based botmaster, Owen Walker ("AKILL"), was caught during an international investigation, Operation: Bot Roast, during which his home was raided by New Zealand police and an FBI agent. He was charged in April 2008, but not convicted because the court did not believe his motives to be criminal.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "New Zealand teenager accused of controlling botnet of 1.3 million computers". Heise online. November 30, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01.
  2. ↑ "W32/Akbot". McAfee. March 20, 2006.
  3. ↑ Shenagh Gleeson and Newstalk ZB (15 July 2008). "Conviction would harm hacker's future - judge". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 September 2011.