2 posts and columns on Rustock

Voices

Prolific Spam Network Is Unplugged

in News on March 17, 2011 at 1:54 pm PT

Activity from Rustock, one of the world’s most prolific spam email networks, has ground to a halt, apparently thanks to a coordinated effort by Internet service providers and software vendors. The take-down, which took place Wednesday morning Eastern time, happened without fanfare, and surprised many in the tight-knit community of cybersecurity consultants and experts.

75 Percent of All Spam Globally? On Our Backbones? Holy Cow!

in News on November 12, 2008 at 10:29 am PT

According to security experts, Web-hosting outfit McColo is responsible for enabling the broadcast of more than 75 percent of all spam globally. Its client list is a rogues gallery of bad-guy syndicates involved in everything from botnets to counterfeit pharmaceuticals and kiddie porn. So how is it that MoColo’s ISPs, Hurricane Electric and Global Crossing, were unaware of that until notified by a Washington Post reporter?