Many people still believe that malware is software that completely disrupts the normal functioning of computers. If your computer is working fine, it means it is not infected, right? Wrong. The main goal of Malware creators is now to make money. But in many cases, the less things are visible to users, the better.For example, such "sneaky" behavior is often characteristic of botnets.
They usually consist of thousands of computers and usually the owners of those computers have no idea they are infected. All they can see is that their computer is running a little slower, which is unusual for computers in general.
Botnets are designed to collect personal data, including passwords, social security numbers, credit card information, addresses, and phone numbers. This data can be used in crimes, including identity theft, various types of fraud, spamming, and other malicious programs. Botnets can also be used to launch attacks on websites and networks.
It takes a great deal of effort from many cooperating parties to shut down a large botnet. A recent example is the Simda botnet, which is believed to have infected more than 770,000 computers in more than 190 countries. The countries most affected are the US, the UK, Turkey, Canada, and Russia.
Simda is a “selling botnet” that was used to distribute illegal software and different types of malware, including those capable of stealing financial credentials. The creators of the special malware simply paid the owners of Simda a fee for each installation.
The list of organizations involved in the shutdown perfectly illustrates the complexity of Simda. INTERPOL, Microsoft, Kaspersky Lab, Trend Micro, the Cyber Defense Institute, the FBI, the Dutch National High-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU), the Luxembourg Grand-Ducale Police Section Nouvelles Technologies, and the Russian Ministry of the Interior's Department 'K' worked together to tackle these cybercriminals.
Since the investigation is still ongoing, it is too early to say who is behind the Simda botnet. However, although the Simda botnet has been suspended, people whose computers were infected should get rid of this malware as soon as possible.
Finally, using information from the Simda botnet's command and control servers, Kaspersky Lab has created a special page where you can check if your computer's IP address is on the list of infected IPs.
