Summary Box: Limb of huge ‘botnet’ of virus-infected PCs is amputated, but criminals reconnect

Summary Box: Huge ‘botnet’ only slowed by takedown

BOTNET AMPUTATED: An Internet provider thought to be helping spread malicious software was taken down, apparently cutting criminals off from millions of personal computers under their control.

SHORT VICTORY: Less than a day later the criminals still were able to reconnect with the computers in their remote-controlled botnet, which makes use of malware known as “ZeuS.”

HOW SO?: Some services exist solely to host malicious content, and when their connections to the Internet are severed, it’s often easy to find another provider willing to sell a new connection.