Web Insecurity

Microsoft to Pay Bounty to Sasser Informats

July 22nd, 2005

As Sven Jaschan, the nineteen year old convicted of writing the sasser worm, has to spend thirty hours serving the community as punishment for his crimes, those who informed law enforcement are basking in their newly found riches.

Microsoft announced that it would be splitting the $250,000 reward with the two informats who helped lead to the conviction of the Sven. This is the first of hopefully many rewards issued from Microsoft’s Anti-Virus Reward program to those who help track down others who write malicious code such as worms and virii.

German law enforcement agents indicated that the large bounty was instrumental in tracking down the virus writer and that without it the case could of lasted a lot longer. No major worm outbreak has hit the web since the sasser worm but when the next one does, hopefully Microsoft’s reward can help bring justice.

More about Microsoft’s Anti-Virus Reward program can be found here.

Entry Filed under: Virus/Worms