Talk:Gameover ZeuS

Reorganizing

Per the header I did some reorganizing and added a section for the creator of the malware Bogachev Lubbad85 (☎) 23:46, 21 April 2019 (UTC)

Expansion

I have expanded the article to include more details. I am unsure if newGOZ should be its own article because data on it is actually quite lacking but it is distinct enough from the original thing to warrant some confusion over whether or not GOZ is extant. Eithersummer (talk) 08:08, 23 July 2023 (UTC)

GA review

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

---

This review is transcluded from Talk:Gameover ZeuS/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Nominator: Eithersummer (talk · contribs) 09:40, 13 March 2025 (UTC)

Reviewer: GregariousMadness (talk · contribs) 00:34, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

GA review (see here for what the criteria are, and here for what they are not)

1. It is reasonably well written.

   a (prose, spelling, and grammar): Well written with clear, encyclopedic prose. b (MoS for lead, layout, word choice, fiction, and lists): Follows WP:MOS/LEAD, word choice seems good (none of the words to watch out for are present), fiction and lists are not applicable. However, the layout seems a little disorganized. The history section should be introduced much earlier, and technical details should be presented later.

2. It is factually accurate and verifiable, as shown by a source spot-check.

   a (reference section): A special "debug build" of the malware existed that provided detailed logs regarding the network. The debug build existed to garner insight into security researchers' activities against the botnet and develop appropriate responses."[25] the source does say this, but it was on page 9, not 7. Fixed per WP:BOLD. The malware was known within Bogachev's crime network as Mapp 13, "13" being the version number.[58] Checked and verified by the quote in the citation. In January 2012, the FBI issued warnings to companies instructing them to look out for GOZ.[62] verified by the line In January 2012, the FBI issued a warning to companies to beware of a new ZeuS variant spreading through e-mails that purported to be from government agencies, including the Fed and the FDIC. in the cited source. With preparations finished, Operation Tovar began on May 30 and was completed within four to five hours. The operation was a sinkholing attack that cut off communication between the bots and their command servers, redirecting the communication towards the aforementioned government-controlled servers.[73] The linked Vice source verifies this. b (inline citations to reliable sources): Sources are mostly WP:RS and trustworthy print publications like The MIT Press. No controversial statements that can reasonably be challenged that isn't supported by RS. c (OR): None as of March 2025. d (copyvio and plagiarism): None as of March 2025.

3. It is broad in its coverage.

   a (major aspects): Covers most major aspects of Gameover ZeuS that would be expected in an encyclopedia entry of an infamous instance of malware: technical architecture and functionality, historical development, criminal activities, and law enforcement response. Perhaps a "Legacy" section would be appropriate at the end? "History" section should also probably be put above "Activity" section as well. Otherwise, looks good. b (focused): The article maintains a clear focus on the malware throughout, and it covers the relevant aspects of the subject without going off on tangents or including excessive detail about peripheral topics.

4. It follows the neutral point of view policy.

   Fair representation without bias: No bias throughout and no promotional language. The article presents different viewpoints to potentially contentious issues (e.g. possible connections to the Russian government) without favoring any particular one.

5. It is stable.

   No edit wars, etc.: None as of March 2025.

6. It is illustrated by images and other media, where possible and appropriate.

   a (images are tagged and non-free content have non-free use rationales): There are two images in the article as of March 2025: one is a work by the federal government of the United States (and hence is in the public domain) and the other is the nominator's own work. b (appropriate use with suitable captions): The images used are not primarily decorative and have unique illustrative purposes. The captions are written suitably.

7. Overall:

   Pass/Fail:

Very close to a pass—only a change to the layout is needed for the article to pass the GA criteria. Well done! Please let me know when you have made the changes. GregariousMadness (talk to me!) 02:10, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

With regard to the reordering, I am a little stumped on the best way to go about it. Right now the sections provide context for later ones, and its hard to explain what was going on with the takedown attempts in the history section without some context from the technical details, and its hard to explain why they wanted to take the botnet down without the context of the criminal activity. So I am still pondering which way to order things and what needs to be shuffled inside the sections. Do you have any suggestions? Eithersummer (talk) 22:52, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

I suggest rearranging it like:

• Start with an expanded lead that provides a brief overview of what GameOver ZeuS was, its significance, and its timeline. This gives readers immediate context.
• History section, but restructured to focus on:
  • Origins and creations, evolution
  • Timeline overview
• Criminal activities section
• Technical details section
• Takedown and Legacy section, maybe separate sections if necessary

This way the origins of the subject comes earlier in the article, but more details about its eventual takedown comes after the criminal activities and technical details sections. GregariousMadness (talk to me!) 05:11, 25 March 2025 (UTC)

I've done some reorganizing in accordance to what you've said, with some caveats.

• I kept the botnet explanation on the top because I think that's the first thing people think of and it doesn't feel right to wait until much later. I turned it into a "background" section also explaining what early Zeus was like.
• I have not added a legacy section because I think the legacy is better explained in individual sections like the newGOZ one and the Cryptolocker part. I haven't found much for a larger section.

Eithersummer (talk) 18:10, 26 March 2025 (UTC)

Looks good! With these new edits, I will pass . Well done! GregariousMadness (talk to me!) 18:36, 26 March 2025 (UTC)

The article has been listed successfully. If you have the time, please consider reviewing an article for GA status — I've recently nominated an article in the same topic as this one. Thank you! GregariousMadness (talk to me!) 18:42, 26 March 2025 (UTC)