Topic: Police allege 77,000 computers were infected by one SA hacker

[Samker]

A WESTERN suburbs man has been charged after allegedly infecting 77,000 computers with viruses that could steal bank details or shut down networks.

The man is alleged to have infected 3000 computers with a program that could steal credit card details.

He also allegedly developed a hijacking program which has attacked 74,000 computers and could shut down sites across the globe.

In the largest crime of its kind in Australia, bank accounts have been accessed and had funds stolen.

Detective Senior Sergeant Barry Blundell said it was difficult to know how much had been taken.

"We are never going to identify all 77-plus thousand people," he said.

The man, 20, was arrested last month by detectives from the Commercial and Electronic Crime Branch after an intensive three-month investigation involving Australian Federal Police after an alert from the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Police will allege the man compromised more than 3000 computers, infecting them with software designed to obtain banking details and credit card information.

Detectives also suspect the man developed the capability to commence viral attacks globally by launching denial of service attacks affecting tens of thousands of computers.

The man used two software robots, called botnets. The smaller hijacked the 3000 computers using a code to trawl the internet looking for vulnerable computers. It then attached itself to the computer, sending back the financial and personal details of users.

The code attacks vulnerable computers, and is not specifically targeting groups or individuals.

"She's a drive-by," Sen-Sgt Blundell said.

Police would allege the man had also been involved in selling the program to identify vulnerable computers and infect them. It is believed there has been at least one other arrest as investigations continue.

The second robot, operating in the same way, has shut down at least one website and having infected 74,000 computers globally could have remotely shut down websites in Distributed Denial Of Service attacks. Police said one DDOS attack had been launched, but refused to release any details.

The man will appear in court next month charged with unauthorised modification of computer data, supply and possession of a computer virus with intent to commit a serious computer offence, unlawful possession of a computer system, theft and trafficking a controlled substance.

(AdelaideNow)