Botnet

Security+ 🏆 • Threats ⚠️ • Network Attacks 🎯 • Difficulty: free

Definition

A botnet is a network of compromised devices that are remotely controlled by an attacker, often through a command-and-control system. Botnets are used to carry out large-scale malicious activity such as DDoS attacks, spam campaigns, credential attacks, and malware distribution.

Examples

  • A botnet of infected home routers and cameras is used to flood a target website with traffic during a DDoS attack.
  • A criminal group uses a botnet to send large volumes of phishing emails from many different IP addresses.

Discover 🔎

A single compromised device can cause harm, but thousands of compromised devices working together can overwhelm defenses. That is the power of a botnet. Botnets turn ordinary devices into a coordinated tool for attackers. Many botnets include not only computers, but also IoT devices like cameras and routers, because they are often poorly secured and rarely monitored.

Remember: A botnet is about scale. The attacker does not need one powerful machine when they can control thousands of small ones.
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