What is a Botnet?
A botnet is a collection of infected devices, or bots, under the control of a hacker who commands them to perform various tasks. Hackers use botnets to carry out attacks and other malicious activities for their own purposes, such as collecting data from infected machines or distributing ransomware and malware.
Bots are typically infected through exploitation of vulnerabilities in applications, websites and IoT devices, by clicking phishing links or exploiting weak authentication. Once a device is infected, the attacker can remotely control the computer or device through malware.
Infected devices communicate with a central server, also known as a command and control (C2) server, to receive instructions. This centralized approach makes it easier for cybercriminals to take control of thousands, tens of thousands or even millions of devices at once. However, this architecture can be vulnerable if the C2 server is taken down.
Once a device is part of the botnet, it can be used for a variety of automated attacks, such as click fraud, cryptocurrency mining and distributed denial of service (DDoS).
Some attackers create botnets for profit, charging other hackers to perform DDoS and other attacks on their behalf. Others may do so to protest against a government or political movement or simply for fun.
The best way to prevent becoming a victim of a botnet is by keeping operating systems and software updated as soon as updates are available. For IoT devices, changing default passwords and enabling factory reset options can help protect against botnet infections. Using antivirus and anti-malware solutions with real-time protection, behavioral monitoring, and threat intelligence can also improve security.