Symantec estimates that 1/3 of all SPAM was stopped when Microsoft (with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals and a court order) took steps to shut down the Rustock botnet. Other botnets (Bagle, Festi, Cutwail, Lethic, Grum, Xarvester and others) are stepping into the void left by Rustock. Whether Rustock will remain 'dead', is unclear as the Rustock programmers and Rustock ringleaders are still unidentified and still at large. Continue reading →