I suspect it might have been problematic to tip off the malware operators that the network was about to be shut down. Apparently customers are going to be informed via their ISPs now. I guess some if them may decide to junk the routers.
How would you like the router owners to have been alerted?
So, are you implying that the malware wasn’t involved in an attempted attack on critical infrastructure? Or do you seriously think the FBI persuaded a judge to let them go this as a front for doing something worse? Or are you just being edgy for the LOLs?
Can you give an example of something that actually was innovative, that no-one called innovative?
Probably works the other way around - FBI detects the problem at various IP addresses, patches them, then contacts the iISP and asks them to contact the customer who had x.y.z IP address