Microsoft Working With FBI, Interpol to Target Malware That Steals Online Ad Revenue

not wormsJust a
day after likening the persistent threat to users from
government surveillance to sophisticated malware
comes news
 Microsoft is working with the government to target a
particularly sophisticated malware program.


From Bloomberg News:

Microsoft Corp.’s digital crime unit has teamed up with
the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and its European
counterpart to fight software that infected more than 2 million
computers to steal revenue from online advertisers.

They’re working to track down computers that have been taken over
with the malicious software known as ZeroAccess or Sirefef, and get
rid of the malware, Microsoft said in a statement. While the effort
won’t eliminate the threat, it should significantly reduce the
fraud, which has cost online advertisers an estimated $2.7 million
a month, the Redmond, Washington-based company said.

Microsoft’s also
announced
new measures to protect user privacy from both
malware and government.

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from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2013/12/06/microsoft-working-with-fbi-interpol-to-t
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