Stay informed on botnet trends, attacks, and defenses. Get the latest updates and expert insights on botnet threats in information security.
Search across headline titles and summaries.
Background for this topic.
A botnet is a network of compromised internet-connected devices controlled remotely by an attacker through malware. These devices, known as bots, receive commands from centralized or decentralized command-and-control (C2) servers to perform coordinated actions such as launching Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, sending spam, or distributing additional malware. Botnets vary in size and complexity, often leveraging vulnerabilities in devices or weak authentication to propagate.
In information security, botnets pose significant risks including large-scale service disruptions from DDoS attacks and the unauthorized use of infected devices for malicious activities. Detecting botnet activity involves monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns and identifying communication with known C2 infrastructure. Effective defense includes timely patching of vulnerable systems, blocking C2 domains or IPs based on threat intelligence, and isolating infected hosts to prevent further spread or damage. Coordinated efforts to disrupt botnet infrastructure can reduce their operational impact.
Botnet Looks for Vulnerable Internal Network MachinesDelivering more proof that the Log4Shell vulnerability is endemic, Akamai researchers detected botnet malware updated to use the flaw as an infection vector. Log4Shell burst into public awareness in late 2021 when security researchers identified a flaw in the ubiquitous Apache Log4J 2 Java library.
Threat actor behind the Activator macOS backdoor is using pirated apps to distribute the malware in what could be a botnet-building operation.
The China-backed APT was using the botnet, made up of mostly end-of-life, patchless routers from Cisco and Netgear, to set up shop inside US critical infrastructure.
Everyone knows to patch vulnerabilities for Internet-facing assets, but what about internal ones? One botnet is counting on your complacency.
Volume of Poorly Secured, Legacy IoT That Can Be Turned Against Us Keeps GrowingThe FBI announcing that it has forcibly removed "KV Botnet" Chinese nation-state malware from "hundreds" of poorly secured SOHO routers across America highlights the risk posed by the growing volume of outdated IoT devices. The FBI's fix is temporary, and we need a more permanent solution.
The threat actor behind a peer-to-peer (P2P) botnet known as FritzFrog has made a return with a new variant that leverages the Log4Shell vulnerability to propagate internally within an already compromised network
US government agencies took down the botnet of Chinese APT Volt Typhoon, used to target critical infrastructure for nation-state espionage
The U.S. government on Wednesday said it took steps to neutralize a botnet comprising hundreds of U.S.-based small office and home office (SOHO) routers hijacked by a China-linked state-sponsored threat actor called Volt Typhoon and blunt the impact posed by the hacking campaign
Remotely disinfects Cisco and Netgear routers to block Chinese critters China's Volt Typhoon attackers used "hundreds" of outdated Cisco and NetGear routers infected with malware in an attempt to break into US critical infrastructure facilities, according to the Justice Department.…
The FBI has disrupted the KV Botnet used by Chinese Volt Typhoon state hackers to evade detection during attacks targeting U.S. critical infrastructure. [...]
Threat hunters have identified a new campaign that delivers the ZLoader malware, resurfacing nearly two years after the botnet's infrastructure was dismantled in April 2022