Topic: $250,000 and it could be yours. All yours!

[Toasty0]

http://www.internetweek.com/security02/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16000380

Quote:
Microsoft Offers $250,000 Bounty To Nail Blaster, SoBig Authors

By George Hulme, SecurityPipeline

Those who write, and unleash, Internet worms and viruses had better watch their heads. There's now a bounty on them.

Microsoft, along with representatives from the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and Interpol, this morning kicked off a new initiative to catch those who release malicious code that is costing businesses and governments around the world billions each year in damages.

The company has created a $5 million fund to be used as reward money for information leading to the capture of those responsible for worm and virus outbreaks.

The first rewards, pegged at $250,000 each, are aimed at those responsible for the Blaster worm and Sobig virus. Both wrecked havoc this summer on information systems worldwide.

Many security professionals were encouraged by the news. "Good for them," says Ken Tyminski, chief information security officer at Prudential Financial Corp. "I think this is a good thing and a good start."

"It's about time," says Pete Lindstrom, research director at Spire Security. "that the Internet miscreants realize that this is not a virtual parlor game. This activity is costing people real money, time, and aggravation."

Aside from encouraging those in the virus writing community, which is notoriously tight-lipped, to turn in their peers to authorities, Lindstrom hopes the bounty will motivate companies and government agencies to better review and preserve their network and application logs to "participate in the pursuit of the virus writers."

Three of those who authored variants of the Blaster worm have been caught, but the original author still remains at large.

Microsoft's Smith says the creation of the fund is a first step, and that the company welcomes working with other companies as part of the initiative. "This is a long-term priority," says Smith, and if "we need to spend more money, we will spend more money."

 

[Pestalence]

Now watch all the virus creators and blaster senders report themselves to make a quick buck... Microsoft never stated that they wouldn't award those who turn themselves in... lol
 

[Sethan]

Quote:
Now watch all the virus creators and blaster senders report themselves to make a quick buck... Microsoft never stated that they wouldn't award those who turn themselves in... lol
 

Probably not a good idea.  The costs of defeating Sobig were far over $250k.  When / if it is found who made it, they will be sued into oblivion.

[Barabbas]

I told 'em it was GE Raven....


 

[Sethan]

Quote:


I told 'em it was GE Raven....


   

Silly goose - you know very well it was that annoying modeler.  

[Toasty0]

http://www.internetweek.com/security02/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16000380

Quote:
Microsoft Offers $250,000 Bounty To Nail Blaster, SoBig Authors

By George Hulme, SecurityPipeline

Those who write, and unleash, Internet worms and viruses had better watch their heads. There's now a bounty on them.

Microsoft, along with representatives from the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and Interpol, this morning kicked off a new initiative to catch those who release malicious code that is costing businesses and governments around the world billions each year in damages.

The company has created a $5 million fund to be used as reward money for information leading to the capture of those responsible for worm and virus outbreaks.

The first rewards, pegged at $250,000 each, are aimed at those responsible for the Blaster worm and Sobig virus. Both wrecked havoc this summer on information systems worldwide.

Many security professionals were encouraged by the news. "Good for them," says Ken Tyminski, chief information security officer at Prudential Financial Corp. "I think this is a good thing and a good start."

"It's about time," says Pete Lindstrom, research director at Spire Security. "that the Internet miscreants realize that this is not a virtual parlor game. This activity is costing people real money, time, and aggravation."

Aside from encouraging those in the virus writing community, which is notoriously tight-lipped, to turn in their peers to authorities, Lindstrom hopes the bounty will motivate companies and government agencies to better review and preserve their network and application logs to "participate in the pursuit of the virus writers."

Three of those who authored variants of the Blaster worm have been caught, but the original author still remains at large.

Microsoft's Smith says the creation of the fund is a first step, and that the company welcomes working with other companies as part of the initiative. "This is a long-term priority," says Smith, and if "we need to spend more money, we will spend more money."

 

[Pestalence]

Now watch all the virus creators and blaster senders report themselves to make a quick buck... Microsoft never stated that they wouldn't award those who turn themselves in... lol
 

[Sethan]

Quote:
Now watch all the virus creators and blaster senders report themselves to make a quick buck... Microsoft never stated that they wouldn't award those who turn themselves in... lol
 

Probably not a good idea.  The costs of defeating Sobig were far over $250k.  When / if it is found who made it, they will be sued into oblivion.

[Barabbas]

I told 'em it was GE Raven....


 

[Sethan]

Quote:


I told 'em it was GE Raven....


   

Silly goose - you know very well it was that annoying modeler.  

[Toasty0]

http://www.internetweek.com/security02/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16000380

Quote:
Microsoft Offers $250,000 Bounty To Nail Blaster, SoBig Authors

By George Hulme, SecurityPipeline

Those who write, and unleash, Internet worms and viruses had better watch their heads. There's now a bounty on them.

Microsoft, along with representatives from the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and Interpol, this morning kicked off a new initiative to catch those who release malicious code that is costing businesses and governments around the world billions each year in damages.

The company has created a $5 million fund to be used as reward money for information leading to the capture of those responsible for worm and virus outbreaks.

The first rewards, pegged at $250,000 each, are aimed at those responsible for the Blaster worm and Sobig virus. Both wrecked havoc this summer on information systems worldwide.

Many security professionals were encouraged by the news. "Good for them," says Ken Tyminski, chief information security officer at Prudential Financial Corp. "I think this is a good thing and a good start."

"It's about time," says Pete Lindstrom, research director at Spire Security. "that the Internet miscreants realize that this is not a virtual parlor game. This activity is costing people real money, time, and aggravation."

Aside from encouraging those in the virus writing community, which is notoriously tight-lipped, to turn in their peers to authorities, Lindstrom hopes the bounty will motivate companies and government agencies to better review and preserve their network and application logs to "participate in the pursuit of the virus writers."

Three of those who authored variants of the Blaster worm have been caught, but the original author still remains at large.

Microsoft's Smith says the creation of the fund is a first step, and that the company welcomes working with other companies as part of the initiative. "This is a long-term priority," says Smith, and if "we need to spend more money, we will spend more money."

 

[Pestalence]

Now watch all the virus creators and blaster senders report themselves to make a quick buck... Microsoft never stated that they wouldn't award those who turn themselves in... lol
 

[Sethan]

Quote:
Now watch all the virus creators and blaster senders report themselves to make a quick buck... Microsoft never stated that they wouldn't award those who turn themselves in... lol
 

Probably not a good idea.  The costs of defeating Sobig were far over $250k.  When / if it is found who made it, they will be sued into oblivion.

[Barabbas]

I told 'em it was GE Raven....


 

[Sethan]

Quote:


I told 'em it was GE Raven....


   

Silly goose - you know very well it was that annoying modeler.