Zotob Virus Writer Motivation

It appears that Essebar (Diabl0) was intending to make money several different ways from the people caught out by the Mytob and Zotob viruses he is alleged to have created.

Diabl0 had revealed that the worm had a very sneaky purpose. One of its intentions was to lower security settings on Microsoft´s Internet Explorer browser so certain pop-up adverts would not be blocked. Diabl0 said he would be paid by the pop-up ad makers for every user hit. Even if the compromised users managed to remove the virus, bragged Diabl0, the settings would likely go unchanged and the stream of unwanted adverts would continue.

Updated On: 05.09.06