OlegNikolaenko

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  • FBI charges 23-year old Russian in Mega-D spambot investigation

    by 
    Laura June Dziuban
    Laura June Dziuban
    12.06.2010

    If you recall, last year it was revealed that up to 35 percent of the world's spam could spring from one source: a bot known as Mega-D. According to FBI files acquired by The Smoking Gun, the bot infected over half a million computers and could sent ten billion pieces of spam per day. According to the files, an ongoing investigation targets a 23-year old Russian man named Oleg Nikolaenko, who is suspected of violating the anti-spam law. Two people have previously been charged with felony conspiracy for the spam assault -- which sold fake Rolexes and herbal stimulants -- both of whom seemingly pointed the finger at Nikolaenko as the actual transmitter. The Mega-D bot was shut down last year by FireEye network security after identifying it as a mega-source of spam. While it's back up and running today, it is only a shadow of its former self. Nikolaenko appeared in federal court in Wisconsin on Friday, was formally charged and entered a 'not guilty' plea. [Image credit: M86 Security Labs]