PCWorld.com - Zotob Arrests Highlight Cybercrime Organization

The expanding investigation into this month’s Zotob worm outbreak is uncovering evidence of the growing nexus between worm writers and gangs looking to profit from cybercrime, according to security experts.

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The FBI this week confirmed that Turkish law enforcement officials are investigating 16 more suspects in connection with the Zotob worm and its variants.

This follows last week’s arrests of Farid Essebar, an 18-year-old Moroccan believed to have been responsible for writing the Zotob and Mytob worms, and Atilla Ekici, a 21-year-old man from Turkey who apparently financed the effort.

According to an FBI spokesperson, the 16 individuals now being investigated are not believed to have any direct links to the actual creation and dissemination of the worms that hit several large organizations two weeks ago. Rather, “it looks more like they are associated with a credit card theft ring” possibly linked to the worms, he says.

The news is further evidence of the growing alliance between hackers and those seeking to profit from cybercrime, says Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at antivirus firm Sophos.

“It is certainly something that we thought has been happening for some time,” Cluley says. “What you are likely to see here over the next few days is the unraveling of an entire identity fraud gang.”