What Is a Botnet?
A botnet is a group of Internet-connected devices that has been hijacked and controlled by malware. The malware uses its massive computing power to perform malicious tasks. These can include sending spam messages, performing Distributed Denial of Service attacks, stealing user data, and more.
Bots are usually programmed to perform certain actions in a specific scenario. For instance, a spam bot may send spam emails to other people, while a crypto mining bot may mine crypto coins. In addition, some bots have self-spreading functionality.
The originator of a botnet is known as a “bot herder.” This individual can command a botnet from a remote location. To do so, the botmaster needs a specialized software package.
Typically, a botmaster will rent out a portion of a botnet to a third party. For example, a botmaster could rent out a botnet segment for a DDoS service. He or she can also sell credentials to other individuals, who can use them to steal information from online accounts.
A botnet can be classified into two categories: a P2P botnet, and a client/server model. Both types of botnets perform the same functions, but the P2P botnet relies on a decentralized network and does not need a central server.
An ad fraud botnet, for instance, infects a computer and diverts fraudulent traffic to online advertisements. It may not take complete control of the operating system, web browser, or e-mail account, but it will likely collect information on the user’s activities.