The internet is filled with online security threats. Many of these threats are just productive, positive technology that has been misused for malicious reasons. The botnet is an example of using good technology for malicious purposes. A botnet is nothing more than a network of connected computers that work together to complete a specific purpose. It could be maintaining a chatroom or taking control of your computer. Botnets are one of the many threats hiding on the Internet. Here’s how they work and how you can stay secure.
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What is a Botnet?
Botnets are networks of computer systems that have been hacked and are used to carry out different scams and cyberattacks. The name “botnet” is a mixture of the words “robot” and “network.” Its assembly is often the infiltration stage of a multi-layer strategy. Bots are used to automate huge attacks such as data theft, server failure, and malware spread. Botnets use your devices to scam others or cause disruptions – all without your knowledge.
How does Botnet work?
Botnet owners can control hundreds of computers at once and command them to perform malicious activities. Cybercriminals obtain access to these devices by first attacking the computers’ security systems with specialized Trojan viruses, then installing command and control software to carry out large-scale harmful activities. These activities can be automated in order to encourage as many continuous attacks as possible.
The purpose of forming a botnet is to infect as many connected devices as possible and exploit the large-scale computing power and functionality of those devices for automated actions that are generally hidden from the devices’ users.
For example, an ad fraud botnet infects a user’s computer with malicious software that redirects fraudulent traffic to certain online advertisements via the system’s web browsers. To stay private, the botnet will not take complete control of the operating system (OS) or web browser, which would alert the user. Instead, it may use a small portion of the browser’s processes, which are often running in the meantime, to transfer a small amount of traffic from the infected device to the targeted advertisements.
Types of Botnet attacks
While botnets can become an attack in and of themselves, they are an excellent tool for carrying out secondary scams and cybercrimes on a large scale. There are many dangerous botnets like cutwail. Some examples of common attacks are as follows:
- DDoS is a type of attack that involves overloading a server with web traffic in order to cause it to fail. Zombie computers are assigned crawling websites and other online services, causing them to go offline for an extended period of time.
- Phishing attacks imitate trusted organizations and individuals in order to scam them for sensitive information. Typically, this involves a large-scale spam campaign aimed at stealing user account information such as banking logins or email credentials.
- Brute force attacks use software that is meant to brute force their way into web accounts. Dictionary attacks and credential stuffing are used to get access to data by using weak user passwords.
- Targeted intrusions are smaller botnets that are meant to target specific high-value systems of businesses, from which attackers can enter and intrude further into the network. These attacks are very dangerous to businesses because attackers specifically target their most valuable assets, such as financial data, R&D, intellectual property, and customer information.
Disrupting Botnet
Botnet attacks were earlier prevented by focusing on the C&C (command & control) source. Law enforcement agencies and security vendors tracked the bots’ communications to the whereabouts of the control server and forced the hosting or service provider to shut down the server.
However, as botnet malware becomes more advanced and transmissions become more decentralized, takedown efforts have turned away from C&C infrastructures and toward different techniques. These include identifying and removing malware infections at the source device, identifying and recreating P2P (peer-to-peer) communication protocols, and focusing on monetary transactions rather than technical infrastructure in situations of ad fraud.
5 Tips to prevent yourself from Botnet attacks
The majority of people who are infected with botnets are unaware that their computer’s security has been exploited. But, taking simple, common-sense measures when accessing the Internet can not only eliminate existing botnets, but also prevent them from being installed on your computer, tablet, or phone in the first place.
- Improve all smart device’s user passwords: Using complex and strong passwords are more secure than using weak and short passwords like ‘pass12345’.
- Avoid acquiring devices with poor security: While it is not always noticeable, many low-cost smart home devices put user convenience over security. Before acquiring a product, read reviews on its safety and security features.
- Update your admin settings and passwords on all of your devices: You should check all available privacy and security settings on everything that connects devices to one another or to the internet. Even smart refrigerators and Bluetooth-enabled vehicles have default passwords for accessing their software systems. Hackers can hack and infect each of your connected devices if custom login credentials and private connectivity are not updated.
- Be cautious of email attachments: The best option is to avoid downloading attachments completely. When you need to download an attachment, check thoroughly and verify the sender’s email address. Consider using antivirus software that checks attachments for malware before you download them.
- Never click on any links in any message: Botnet virus can be transmitted by text messages, emails, and social media messages. Avoid DNS cache poisoning and drive-by downloads by manually entering the link into the address bar. Also, go the extra mile and look for an official version of the link.
Botnets, as one of the most sophisticated types of modern malware, pose serious cyber threats to governments, businesses, and individuals. Earlier, the malware was a swarm of independent agents that simply infected and copied themselves; however, botnets are centrally coordinated, networked applications that use networks to gain power and resilience. They are tricky to remove after they have got control of a user’s device. To reduce phishing attacks and other issues, make sure to protect each of your devices against this unwanted takeover.
