What is a Botnet?
A botnet is a network of internet-connected devices, such as computers and IoT hardware, that have been infected with malware that grants remote control to a single attacker. They are often undetectable to their owners and are used by hackers (also known as bot-herders) to launch large-scale cyberattacks.
Malicious bots get into the system via software exploits, firmware exploits, phishing emails, compromised links or downloads, or by exploiting a vulnerability in your operating system or applications. Once they have access to your device, they report back to the bot-herder and execute commands. They may perform a wide variety of malicious activities including cryptomining, ad fraud, spamming, distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS), and even data theft.
Distributed Power
Botnets allow a single attacking party to leverage the combined computing power of thousands of compromised systems, which amplifies and automates attacks. They can be silent, so they are often undetectable by users.
Detection, Prevention and Defending against Botnets
Protect your network by patching vulnerable OSes, applications, firmware and IoT devices with the latest updates. Use reputable antivirus software with behavioral monitoring to detect and stop threats. Keep your devices updated with 2FA for services like Gmail and Facebook, and ensure that any downloaded applications are trustworthy before allowing them to run. Implement firewall rules and network filtering to block communication channels that bots use to communicate with C&C servers and each other.