Tech view: Double takedown a big win for the security nerds

The people who keep our computers (mostly) safe scored a huge victory last week by taking down the most vicious botnet in the world as well as a sophisticated ransomware site

Cyber-criminals love borders because they get to ignore them, while time is spent by law enforcement working out how to coordinate a response to transnational crime

Last March, the Necurs botnet was taken down. It happened as most of society was facing the bleak news about major changes to how we live.

Correlation and causation are two different things, but the past week’s lockdown extension announcement came right before a double blow to cyber criminals. Last Wednesday, it turned out, was quite the day for security nerds.

It began with Emotet, the world’s most dangerous botnet, being disabled. Botnets work by ...