Microsoft shuts down global spam network

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Microsoft has won court approval to shut down a global network of computers which it says is responsible for more than 1.5bn spam messages every day.

A US judge granted the firm's request to shut down 277 internet domains, which it said were used to "command and control" the so-called Waledac botnet.

>

The firm said that closing the domains would mean that up to 90,000 PCs would stop receiving orders to send out spam.

A recent analysis by the firm found that between 3-21 December "approximately 651 million spam e-mails attributable to Waledac were directed to Hotmail accounts alone".

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8537741.stm

[jmowreader]

1. They got rid of Hotmail?

[ixion]

2. lol

priceless.

[xultar]

7. ...

:spray:

[BootinUp]

12. You might find it interesting

that Hotmail has been blocking ISPs who are not doing enough to block spam. For instance mine, At&t formerly bellsouth.

[jmowreader]

20. At one point in the history of the internets, Hotmail was the #1 spam generation service

The spammers would sign up for a Hotmail account, pump out one spam on it, get it cancelled, open another account and on and on.

It's nice that Hotmail is caring for its users so much, but they used to be the spam kings. For about six months all the spam I got was from them.

[bitchkitty]

29. LMAO!!! n/t

[Socal31]

3. Now where am I going to get my V1aGr@ Cheap!!!! ?

[Paper Roses]

10. Yesterday I was so ticked off by the number of V1aGr@ e-mails,

I blew off a little steam here on DU about it. In the AM alone, I got about 30. Speaking of Hotmail, their block filters are really bad now. There was a time where certain words were not allowed through. Now it seems, anything that is sent gets through. I am particularly offended by some of them. To me they are unacceptable in any forum.

I hope this move by MS will disrupt some of them.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

13. If they block the viagra spam I know where you can get some

real cheap... is this spam??

[seeinfweggos]

15. and no more letters of concern from russians about my penis size?

which is zero. hence their concern i suppose.

[PeakOil2008]

16. Re: turn your rod into a monster

:evilgrin:

[seeinfweggos]

18. no, that's all spelled right and kind of makes sense. more like

enrage your pencil.

[Toots]

32. I will miss all the Russian ladies dying to meet me.

Especially after I got all that viagra..

[LiberalFighter]

4. How is Microsoft able to do this?

Wouldn't that be under control of organization that allocate the domains?

[RoyGBiv]

6. They took it to court ...

... to force the shutdown.

The judge granted their request and instructed Verisign to shut down the domains.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Ahhh I missed that part.

[Xithras]

14. MS went to court as the victim.

MS runs Live/Hotmail, which is one of the worlds largest free email systems. Their servers were being hammered by hundreds of millions of spam messages a day, which has a real and calcuable financial cost that permitted them to claim damages. They asked the court for a permanent injunction to shut down the domains, in order to protect their own network from additional financial losses associated with the spam.

The judge agreed.

FWIW, anyone can sue a spam network, so long as you can show sufficient cause. The problem is that most people don't have the money or time to track the spam operators down and hire the attorneys to do the legal work. Microsoft has both.

[Renew Deal]

34. Microsoft is the victim

And they were likely able to prove that the domains were used for illegal activity (spam).

[Turbineguy]

5. Gee and just when

I was starting to think about getting my penis lengthened by a foot or so.

[dipsydoodle]

8. Yeh I know

12" but I don't use it as a rule. :rofl:

[vduhr]

23. 12"? You could use it as a ruler.

(sorry, couldn't resist)

[M155Y_A1CH]

25. He just said he didn't. n/t

:Kick:

[jmowreader]

30. No, no, get it lengthened by TWO feet...

then visit a tattoo parlor to have inch marks added, and you'll have a yardstick with you everywhere you go.

[Turbineguy]

33. "St Juniper once said,

'By his loins shall ye know him and by the length of his rod shall he be measured.' The length of my rod is a mystery to all but the Queen, and a thousand Turkish whores, but the fruits of my loins are here for all to see. I have two sons, Henry and.... another one."

From the Blackadder series.

[Turbineguy]

36. That's a great idea!

I want to get "antidisestablishmentarianism" tattooed on it but the guy said there was only room for "Hi!"

[BootinUp]

9. Sounds good to me. nt

[notesdev]

17. It's not over

until the person who issued the command for all that spam to be sent out gets force fed his own intestines. Preferably televised. In front of his own mother.

[mbperrin]

26. Hey, when is that? Definite DVR moment!

Only wishing I was being sarcastic.
Man, do I hate spammers....

[Endangered Specie]

19. Wonder what all the apple fanboys think of this

[Indenturedebtor]

21. It's Thursday... they're all all the weekly apple store meeting

Singing together about rainbow colored computing appliances that have been washed with unicorn tears.

I'm afraid you'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to find out...

[hamerfan]

28. We think it's good

Because all of these spambot computers are Windows boxes, so it's good that MS is cleaning up its own crap. :argh:

[BlueJazz]

22. If it were up to me, Spammers would be hog-tied and led through the streets...

..of every Major city while people pissed on them.

As an owner of a few Domains, those bastards have caused me endless hours of hassle.

[Roland99]

24. Rec times infinity!

[Quantess]

27. Hooray!

[Hugin]

31. Now, if they'd only PAY ME MY REBATE FOR BUYING AN X-BOX LAST OCTOBER!

You'd think a company that makes "software" would be more time aware...

Honestly, I'm entertaining the idea the "rebate" is a scam. Is there a lawyer in the house?

[dixiegrrrrl]

35. Won't somebody think of the poor Nigerians????

[panzerfaust]

37. "Windows Genuine Advantage" no longer to be distributed

If this disadvantages you, you are urged to contact Microsoft which has a variety of resource hogging, crash inducing replacements available for immediate download (Genuine copies of Windoz only).