There’s something that I’ve been hearing mentioned a lot lately, particularly from those in law enforcement circles - the importance of “mules” in bot-related money making schemes. These are work-at-home type jobs which are offered through very professional-looking websites, through classified ads, and even through IM.These are a crucial part of the reason so many bots are able to be run from places around the globe. In order to get merchandise (often to re-sell) or cash with stolen credit card credentials, the thieves have to go through more strict regulations if the goods are going to another country. To get around these regulations, they use these mules within those originating countries.

These mules are often someone who’s desperate for money or someone who figures it’ll be the (unfortunately fictitious) company who’d get in trouble rather than themselves, so they tend to ask few questions of their “employers”. Laws in most countries are better able to handle this sort of trafficking of stolen goods, so it tends to be these small-time players who are most often prosecuted within the web of illegal botnet activities.