Another from the "Not From The Onion But Shoulda Been" files: the FBI just announced the results of a sting operation against malicious hackers who hijacked millions of innocent machines, turning them into spam-spewing zombies. It's called - wait for it:

OPERATION BOT ROAST.

Yes, Bot Roast. They must have comedy writers moonlighting over at the Eff Bee Eye. I can imagine some of the hilarious phone calls that must occurred behind the scenes.

Deep Throat: "...Errm, *cough cough* I'm calling regarding Operation Bot Roast."
Agent: "Did you just say 'Operation Pot Roast'?"
Deep Throat: "No, I said Operation Bot Roast."
Agent: "Marijuana dealers, you say?"
Deep Throat: "No, we're going after computer hackers."
Agent: "The hackers are smoking pot?"
Deep Throat: "No."
Agent: "They're selling pot?"
Deep Throat: "No. I said Operation. Bot. Roast. We're going after the hackers and their spambots."
Agent: "I could use a pot of SPAM right about now."
Deep Throat: "Listen, you idiot, there's NO FOOD involved in Operation BOT ROAST."
Agent: "Well, no wonder they're so hungry!"
{click}

However, the name itself isn't original - the term "bot roast" appears on a gamers' forum from 2006. I first heard about this on NPR this morning, and I laughed all the way to the coffeepot.

Yup...I'm an easy laugh today.

More at the Washington Post, ZDNet, and DarkReading.

FTC: "Botnets and Hackers and Spam - Oh, My!"

Labels: computers, crime, humor, law

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