Microsoft, in partnership with collaborators from 35 countries, has begun implementing a plan to disrupt one of the largest botnet networks in the world, Necurs, which includes more than 9 million infected computers. The company's specialists have monitored the network for about 8 years and planned actions to ensure that criminals can no longer use key elements of the botnet’s infrastructure to carry out cyberattacks.
As a reminder, a botnet is a network of computers infected with malware that are under remote control of cybercriminals. Researchers found that a single computer within the Necurs botnet sent out 3.8 million spam emails in just 58 days.
It is believed that Russian hackers are behind Necurs, using the network of infected computers to perform various tasks, including fraud, stealing personal data, attacking other computers, and more. According to Microsoft, part of the Necurs infrastructure is rented out to other cybercriminals. Additionally, the network is used for distributing malware and ransomware, DDoS attacks, and more.
To dismantle the Necurs network, Microsoft specialists analyzed the method that the botnet uses to generate new domains. domainsAs a result, they predicted the generation of over 6 million new domains over the next 25 months. This information was passed on to registrars in various countries around the world to block these websites, preventing them from becoming part of the botnet. By taking control of existing websites and limiting the registration of new ones, Microsoft has been able to inflict significant damage on the network, disrupting its operations.
Source: 3dnews.ru
