Farid Essebar

Who is Farid Essebar?

Farid Essebar is a Moroccan black hat hacker. He is also a Russian citizen. He was one of the two people behind the spread of the Zotob computer worm that targeted Windows 2000 operating systems in 2005. Among the affected were CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Caterpillar, United Parcel Service, Boeing and also United States Department of Homeland Security.

Microsoft used 50 investigators and had put a $250,000 reward for the capture of the cracker. Microsoft's General counsel declared on August 26, 2005 that "The fact that we were able to see these arrests in less than two weeks and see them halfway around the world really drives that point home."