Protect Your Organization From Botnet Attacks
A Botnet is a network of computers, mobile devices or Internet of Things (IoT) devices that have been infected with malware and are controlled by cyber criminals called bot herders. These herders use the compromised device network to conduct various malicious activities such as launching distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, spamming users, stealing passwords and other data and carrying out other cybercrimes.
There are different types of Botnet attack structures based on the technical architecture and primary function. For example, centralized (client-server) models communicate directly with the herder’s control server through a chat room or other method. However, they have a single point of failure and can be more difficult to locate and shut down. Decentralized models, such as the peer-to-peer (P2P) model, distribute the bots’ instructions through a group of servers and obscure the herder’s identity.
Bots are typically designed for silent persistence and stealth so that they can infect thousands, tens of thousands or even millions of devices without the owners’ knowledge. They can then be commanded to perform tasks like harvesting data or sending out a DDoS attack.
Recognizing early warning signs of a possible bot infection is key to protecting your organization from these dangerous attacks. These symptoms include a slow computer, suspicious processes or programs and unusually high data usage. In addition, the herder may be using the bots to spy on you and your company by gathering personal information and transmitting it to their servers.