FTC Shuts Down ISP Linked to Child Porn

The FTC has taken the rare step of shutting down an Internet Service Provider that it says was a haven for child pornography and malware run by Eastern European criminals, MSNBC reports. The case gives "a rare glimpse into the seediest parts of the web," writes Bob Sullivan. Authorities found 700 reports of child porn hosted on the servers of 3FN.net, an ISP ostensibly based in Oregon. The FTC believe it is actually controlled from Ukraine and Estonia.

It’s the first time the FTC has ever shut down an ISP, but “these were unique circumstances,” a staff attorney said. Among the sites on 3FN’s servers were some advertising "illegal photos of little girls." The child porn sites would often contain viruses; hackers commandeered hundreds of thousands of computers through 3FN, using them in click fraud schemes. 3FN sites also allegedly sold illegal drugs and pirated music. (More child sexual abuse material stories.)