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Tuesday, Google revealed recently disrupted major computer systems seized by Glupteba. The company estimates that the malware program has infected nearly one million PCs worldwide, making it one of the largest known bottled devices to date.
A botnet is a computer network or all Internet-connected devices that contain malware that is controlled by a single group. Here, Google searched Glupteba for at least two people from Russia. The company is suing them in the hope that “it will set a precedent, create legal and operational threats for botnet users, and help prevent future operations.”
In some cases, the company claims to have seen growing networks with about 1,000 devices per day. The malware that adds a computer to the Glupteba botnet is often found hidden on hacked pages that offer free software. According to Google, Glupteba users used malware to steal personal information, hide cryptocurrencies and add other traffic online through infected machines.
Per The Washington Post, hackers also used other Google products to distribute malware. The company suspended more than 1,000 accounts used to publish Glupteba.
“We are not just opening up security holes, we are trying to address the risks of consumers and businesses whose operations are dependent on the internet,” the company said. “We have teams of experts and security experts who are committed to detecting and stopping things like DDoS, fraudulent campaigns, daily security, and cheating Google, our businesses, and users.”
Google has teamed up with online providers to disrupt the botnet, but warns that it has so far managed to temporarily suspend the botnet. Glupteba uses blockchain technology as a failsafe for complete suspension. If it does not hear from the owners, the software is designed to use the data contained in the Bitcoin blockchain for instructions on how to reconnect.
“Unfortunately, Glupteba uses blockchain technology as a promotional tool and is already well-known among cyber-criminal organizations,” Google said. “Blockchain behavior allows the botnet to quickly recover from disruptions, which makes it very difficult to shut down.” The company says it is working with partners to make the internet stronger in such situations.
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