Summary Box: 3 arrested for infection of computers in the data-stealing ‘Mariposa botnet’

Summary Box: 3 nabbed for huge computer infection

THE BOTNET: The so-called Mariposa botnet was made up of as many as 12.7 million virus-infected personal computers. Malcious software on those machines stole credit card numbers and online banking credentials.

THE ARRESTS: Spanish investigators, working with computer-security firms, have arrested the three alleged ringleaders behind Mariposa. An investigator describes them as “normal people who are earning a lot of money with cybercrime.”

THE AFTERMATH: The botnet’s command centers have been dismantled, but millions of computers remain infected.