Botnet definition
A botnet is a network of infected devices (zombies) controlled without their owners’ knowledge to carry out coordinated cyber attacks. Botnets are often responsible for DDoS attacks, spam campaigns, and crypto-mining operations using the victims’ processing power.
Real botnet examples
2000: The Earthlink spammer, the first botnet to gain notoriety, used the Earthlink network to spam 1,250,000 phishing emails in under a year.
2016: The Mirai botnet, created by college students for an edge in Minecraft, caused a number of massive DDoS attacks that restricted internet access in certain US areas.
Stopping a botnet
- Use a reputable antivirus and regularly update it
- Don’t click suspicious links or attachments
- Keep your OS up to date
