Malware spreaders 'earn more for Australian PCs'

Thursday, 20 Mar 2008. Categories: Australia

Manufacturing spyware can be big business and it has been claimed that the authors of such software receive greater sums for infecting PCs in the UK and Australia.

Industry commentator John Leyden, writing for online resource Channel Register, has explained that botnet "farmers" receive more money for infecting machines in those two countries than in continental Europe.

"The income that can be earned grows with the numbers of installs and varies based on the geographical location of an installation," he explained.

For example, by installing spyware on 1,000 Australian PCs a person could earn $100 (£50) but that same number would net just $50 in the US and $3 in Asia, Mr Leydon continued.

He also stated that cybercrooks can generate further income by forcing compromised PCs to download further malware from websites.

Last year, Vint Cerf, one of the scientists considered by many to be one of the founders of the internet, warned that the web is in serious danger from botnet threats.

He likened their spread to a pandemic.

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Malware spreaders 'earn more for Australian PCs'

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