The U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) has arrested Yunhe Wang, a Chinese national, in connection with an alleged “botnet” scam totaling over $130 million. A botnet refers to a network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge.
Wang allegedly sold and rented access to his botnet to other cybercriminals, who used it to conduct a variety of fraudulent schemes and distribute spam email campaigns. The illegal activities generated significant profits for Wang and caused considerable financial losses for victims.
The investigation into this case was led by the DOJ’s Cybersecurity unit, and Wang was apprehended overseas before being extradited to the United States. If convicted, Wang could face severe legal and financial penalties.
It’s important for everyone to protect their computers with up-to-date antivirus software, be careful when clicking links or downloading files from unknown sources, and regularly update their systems and software to help prevent becoming a part of such botnets.
