Updated on 2022-12-22: Glupteba returns
The Glupteba ad fraud trojan has returned to operations after being disrupted by Google last year and after the conclusion of a recent lawsuit between the two parties. Read more:
Updated on 2022-12-19
A surge in infection by the Glupteba botnet has been observed worldwide, indicating that the botnet has been restored since Google’s effort to disrupt its operations in 2021. Read more: Glupteba Botnet Still Active Despite Google’s Disruption Efforts
Overview: Google wins Glupteba lawsuit
A New York court has ruled in favor of Google in the company’s lawsuit against Dmitry Starovikov and Alexander Filippov, the operators of the Glupteba adware botnet. Google sued Glupteba’s creators last December, shortly after it also disrupted their botnet. According to court documents, the judge issued a default judgment in the case and ordered the two accused, along with their US lawyer, to cover Google’s legal fees in the case. The judge concluded that the defendants were misleading the court and litigating in bad faith. The judge said the defense abused the court discovery rules to obtain information from Google about how the company was blocking their botnet, and also proposed a settlement where they would be paid $1 million each for additional information about their botnet, an offer that Google refused and subsequently reported the two to law enforcement for extortion. Read more:
