Microsoft Names Botnet 'suspect'

Microsoft mentioned it suspects a one-time worker of an antivirus program definite was at the back the Kelihos botnet attacks.

Russian inhabitant Andrey Sabelnikov "wrote and/or participated in creating" the toxic program that putrescent thousands of machines, Microsoft said.

Kelihos was used for sending out spam and swelling malware until it was "neutralised" in September 2011.

In a blog posting, the Microsoft's lead profession warned that thousands of PCs sojourn putrescent with Kelihos' software.

The definite mentioned that it had filed an nice censure with the US District Court is to Eastern District of Virginia concerning the matter.

Richard Domingues Boscovich wrote : "Microsoft presented indication to the justice that Mr Sabelnikov wrote the ethics for and possibly created, or participated in creating, the Kelihos malware.

"Further, the censure alleges that he used the malware to control, operate, sustain and blossom the Kelihos botnet.

"These allegations are formed on indication Microsoft investigators unclosed whilst analysing the Kelihos malware."

Mr Boscovich urged users who were disturbed that they might have been affected by the botnet to revisit Microsoft's website for advice.

Microsoft mentioned Mr Sabelnikov is now working on a freelance basement with a program growth and consulting firm.

Prior to this, Mr Sabelnikov is mentioned to have worked as a program operative and plan executive at "a company that supposing firewall, antivirus and safety software".

Microsoft did not name the company - however Mr Sabelnikov's LinkedIn form lists St Petersburg-based antivirus definite Agnitum amid Mr Sabelnikov's one-time employers.

Agnitum's sales and selling director Vitaliy Yanko told the BBC: "I have checked the info and may declare that Andrey Sabelnikov worked at Agnitum from 2005 compartment 2008.

"Afterwards our ways parted. Seems that he chose the incorrect highway afterwards."

The BBC has sent a summary to Mr Sabelnikov's LinkedIn account asking him to reply to the accusations.

Botnets similar to Kelihos are combined by the expansion of rouge software, frequently around putrescent emails or web browser vulnerabilities.

Each "bot", as they are known, is a hijacked P.C. that may be used by hackers for any number of unlawful activities.

Many botnet owners make money by utilising their botnets to send considerable amounts of spam email.

At Kelihos' peak, it was mentioned to have been in manage of 41,000 putrescent machines and able to send over 3.8 billion spam emails in a day.

In October final year, a Czech hosting company, Dotfree Group SRO, staid with Microsoft after it was found to be hosting domains accountable for Kelihos' distribution.

As segment of the settlement, Dominique Alexander Piatti, the group's owner, concluded to undo or give all of the affected domains to Microsoft.

He vowed to work keenly with the company to stop future abuse.