Facebook Uses Spammers’ Loot For $250k Cyber Crime Fighting Fund

Facebook has awarded a major information security centre in the US $250,000, using funds recovered from notorious spammers who have caused chaos on the social network.

The money has been handed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Information Assurance and Joint Forensics Research (CIA|JFR), which helped Facebook stop the Koobface worm doing any major damage and take on other spammers.

In January, Facebook claimed victory over Koobface. It revealed the names of five men it believed were part of the Koobface gang, whose malware made the group millions of pounds.

Killing Koobface + spammers

Koobface first appeared in 2008 and invited Facebook members to watch a funny or sexy video. When users clicked, they were redirected to a download of the group’s malware, disguised as a Flash update.

The funds will be used to expand the new CIA|JFR headquarters, with the addition of a Facebook Suite. That division will be the CIA|JFR “nerve center”, explained co-founder of the CIA|JFR, Anthony Skjellum.

“It will be the place where cyber visionaries from around the world will gather to share ideas, discoveries and solutions,” he said.

“As a result of numerous collaborations over the years, Facebook recognises the centre as both a partner in fighting Internet abuse, and as a critical player in developing future experts who will become dedicated cybersecurity professionals,” added Joe Sullivan, chief security officer at Facebook.

“The centre has earned this gift for their successes in fighting cyber crime and because of the need for formal cyber security education to better secure everyone’s data across the world.”

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