The Zlob Trojan doesn't threaten the Internet anymore?

An unidentified Russian virus writer came up with new version of so-called Zlob Trojan. Moreover, it has reached out to Microsoft with a message with this virus. The situation was especially mean as the greeting in the malicious code was friendly and cordial. Usually such messages are rather sharp. So this one was in contrast to messages posted on compromised websites by defacement crews, which frequently deride the security of Microsoft's software. According to Microsoft's predictions the Zlob Trojan causes the minimum of damage, in opposition to the hacker's objective of infecting as many systems as possible with the money-making code. Despite this the message is amiable, even chatty, and respectful after the fashion of an exchange between an old-school blagger and a rozzer. The Zlob Trojan is well-known virus. It first appeared in 2005, commonly poses as a video codec that's supposedly needed to watch movie clips. It was offered to users as rogue anti-spyware products. However, it turned to be a malware that generates bogus pop-up warnings on infected systems. In the latest message it was announced that the hacker is on the brink of abandoning the Zlob Trojan project, in favour of moving over to developing more invasive code. "BTW, we are closing soon. Not because of your work. :-)) So, you will not see some of my great ;) ideas in that family of software. Try to search in exploits/shellcodes and rootkit," the message adds.

For many experts such message became good news. For example, Microsoft researcher Tareq Saade welcomed the possible retirement of the Zlob gang. He noted that it warms his heart that the gangsters are 'closing soon.

Source: The Register