What is a Botnet?
Botnets are a type of cybercriminal network. These networks are typically composed of bots that can communicate with each other and execute commands. These bots are controlled remotely by the botnet’s “bot herder”, or “bot master.” This system is also known as “command-and-control” (C&C) and involves a network of command and control servers. These servers are known as “weak points” of botnets. Despite this, cybercriminals have been developing more sophisticated techniques for controlling their networks.
Botnets can be used for many different types of cybercrime. One type of botnet involves a network of infected zombie computers. Once infected, a bot herder can use these zombie machines for various purposes, including spamming websites and stealing data. A botnet can consist of millions of computers.
Botnets are notoriously hard to detect. They hijack computers and generate fake internet traffic for financial gain. Many of them replace targeted advertisements with advertisements that benefit the botnet. Some bots also generate pop-up ads requesting users to pay money to get rid of them. Many of these botnets are used to steal personal information, scam people, and conduct other malicious activities.
Another type of botnet involves mobile devices. Some bots have even been known to infect smartphones and tablets. Additionally, botnets may target internet infrastructure hardware. Web servers and network routers are common targets. A lack of security on these devices makes them easy targets for botnet attacks.