Microsoft releases two million computers - The País.com (Spain)

Microsoft

reported earlier this month that attacked one of the largest networks in the world of cyber crime to release at least two million computers infected with a virus that is believed to have been used to steal more than 500 million accounts banking worldwide.

“We have released at least two million computers worldwide. That’s a conservative estimate,” he said in an interview Richard Domingues Boscovich, responsible for the Digital Crimes Unit at Microsoft. Most of the infected machines were in the United States, Europe and Hong Kong.

Microsoft and the FBI, with the assistance of the authorities in over 80 countries, tried to end on June 5 with 1,400 malicious computer networks known as botnets Citadel. Digital Crimes Unit Microsoft is working with partners abroad to determine exactly how many of the botnets Citadel are still in operation. “We are confident that we really get the most we wanted,” he said.

leader, alias Aquabox, and dozens of botnets operators still at large, and authorities are working to find its identity. Boscovich Aquabox suspect resides in Eastern Europe.

Botnets, which are executed using the “command and control” servers hosting data centers around the world, were used to steal hundreds of financial institutions, according to documents Microsoft filed in the courts of Justice for permission to attack the U.S. servers that were being used to run the operation without them knowing it.

ring botnets was directed companies of all sizes, from small credit unions to global banks such as Bank of America, Credit Suisse, HSBC and Royal Bank of Canada.

FBI on Tuesday declined to comment on the progress of the investigation, has said it is working closely with Europol and other agencies abroad to capture the unknown criminals.

Cybercriminals often

infect machines by sending spam emails containing malicious links and attachments, and so infect websites. Some bots rent or sell to other cybercriminals infected machines participating in a wide variety of activities such as credit card theft and attacks on government websites.

Citadel

achieved disable antivirus programs on infected computers so they can not detect the software malicious. Arose in early 2012 and online equipment is sold for more than $ 2,000.