Acidstorm
John Schniefer aka (AcidStorm) is a 26 year old Los-Angeles based information security specialist. He was employed at a security firm known as 3G Communications. He and several accomplices developed malware they dubbed "spybot" that made vulnerable Windows machines part of a botnet. He admitted to creating a the botnet on Friday, November 9, 200. He used this botnet to illegally install software on at least 250,000 machines and steal online banking identities of Windows users by eavesdropping on them while they made financial transactions. They controlled the zombies using servers from various hosting companies. He faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison and a fine of $1.75 million. This is the first case that has been related to botnets has been charged under US wiretap statutes.
