"A 20-year-old Southern California hacker admitted Monday to surreptitiously seizing control of hundreds of thousands of Internet-connected computers, using the zombie network to serve pop-up ads and renting it to people who mounted attacks on Web sites and sent out spam," reports AP.
"Under a plea agreement, which still must be approved by a judge, [Jeanson James ] Ancheta faces up to six years in prison and must pay the federal government restitution. He also will forfeit his profits and a 1993 BMW. Sentencing is set for May 1."
According to an IDG News report, Ancheta must surrender more than $58,000 in profits and pay the US government restitution of about $20,000.
