“Rapper Bot” malware seized alleged developer identified and charged
The suspected creator and administrator of the "Rapper Bot" DDoS-for-hire botnet has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ).
The botnet was purportedly rented by Eugene, Oregon resident Ethan Foltz, 22, to cybercriminals who targeted different companies. On August 6, during a raid at Foltz's Oregon home, the botnet operation itself was taken down as part of "Operation PowerOff."
Since at least 2021, the Mirai-based malware botnet—also referred to as "Eleven Eleven" and "CowBot"—has been in operation, infecting tens of thousands of routers and DVRs.
Rapper Bot was used to target more than 18,000 businesses in 80 countries, including major media platforms, gaming companies, big internet corporations, and U.S. government systems, according to the U.S. DoJ release.
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