Just when you thought you could get away with cyber crime just becoz of anonymity online? Think again.Law enforcement partners in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the Netherlands announced the execution of numerous arrests and search warrants in multiple countries in one of the largest cyber criminal cases ever investigated.
Using a Trojan horse virus known as Zeus, hackers in Eastern Europe infected computers around the world. The virus was carried in an e-mail, and when targeted individuals at businesses and municipalities opened the e-mail, the malicious software installed itself on the victimized computer, secretly capturing passwords, account numbers, and other data used to log into online banking accounts.
The hackers used this information to take over the victims’ bank accounts and make unauthorized transfers of thousands of dollars at a time, often routing the funds to other accounts controlled by a network of “money mules.” Many of the U.S. money mules were recruited from overseas. They created bank accounts using fake documents and phony names. Once the money was in their accounts, the mules could either wire it back to their bosses in Eastern Europe, or turn it into cash and smuggle it out of the country. For their work, they were paid a commission.
On 30 Sept 2010, New York office arrested 10 subjects related to the case, and they are seeking 17 others. Those arrested are charged with using hundreds of false-name bank accounts to receive more than $3 million from victimized accounts.
In all, the global theft ring attempted to steal some $220 million, and was actively involved in using Zeus to infect more computers.More details here:
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/oct10/cyber_100110.html
netizens left a footprint.