What is a Botnet?
A Botnet is a network of computers, smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that have been infected with malware to be controlled remotely by threat actors for malicious purposes. The infected devices—also known as zombies—are used for automated attacks such as spam emails, ad fraud or distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Cybercriminals often rent or sell access to botnets to other cybercriminals for a fee.
A typical botnet has hundreds of thousands or even millions of compromised machines that can be used to carry out automated attacks on target victims. These devices are usually owned by private individuals who are unaware that they are part of a botnet. The attackers behind these attacks typically want to steal data or money, or they may simply be looking to cause a lot of disruption.
The most successful botnets have wormable properties that allow them to spread across connected devices. This gives them autonomous growth capabilities and infinite opportunities to attack. The Mirai botnet, for instance, grew to include tens of thousands of IoT devices such as webcams and workout trackers with poor security. It was then used in a massive DDoS attack that took sites such as Github and DNS provider Dyn offline.
The best way to prevent your devices from becoming a bot is to keep them updated with the latest patches and install antimalware software. You should also avoid suspicious websites and stay away from clicking on links and attachments in emails. For those who are interested in a career in cybersecurity, Simplilearn’s Advanced Executive Program In Cyber Security course can help you build a solid foundation of ethical hacking skills.