BOTNETS AS A DDOS ATTACK TOOL UPDATE THEIR BEHAVIOR

Attackers build networks of infected computers, known as botnets, by spreading malicious software through emails, websites and social media.How to stop a botnet DDoS attack. Their growing popularity among cybercriminals comes from their ability to infiltrate almost any internet-connected device, from DVR players to corporate mainframes.Building Capacity. The objective is to flood a server or infrastructure with many fake requests, until it is overwhelmed by the huge amount of malicious traffic and is unable to respond to the real traffic.Botnets have become one of the biggest threats to security systems today. Botnets are created in order to carry out a type of cyber-attack known as Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) attacks.

It’s predicted the trend will continue, resulting in more computers infected with mining software and more digital wallets stolen.Aside from being tools for influencing elections and mining cryptocurrencies, botnets are also dangerous to corporations and consumers because they’re used to deploy malware, initiate attacks on websites, steal personal information, and defraud advertisers.It’s clear botnets are bad, but what are they exactly? And how can you protect your personal information and devices? Step one is understanding how bots work. Recently published studies from MIT have concluded that social media bots and automated accounts play a major role in spreading fake news.Botnets can be designed to accomplish illegal or malicious tasks including sending spam, stealing data, ransomware, fraudulently clicking on ads or distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.The use of botnets to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin is a growing business for cyber criminals. Facebook’s fake ad controversy and the Twitter bot fiasco during the 2016 presidential election worry many politicians and citizens about the disruptive potential of botnets. Understanding your botnet response strategy is key to effectively stopping botnets in their tracks.Botnets are also becoming a larger part of cultural discussions around cyber security. To effectively stop a DDoS attack, admins need a botnet detection tool that can also serve as a botnet response tool.

The more bots connected, the bigger the botnet. Size MattersTo build a botnet, botmasters need as many infected online devices or “bots” under their command as possible. The cyber criminals controlling them are called botmasters or bot herders. In a broad sense, that’s exactly what botnets are: a network of robots used to commit cyber crime. How Do Botnets Work?To better understand how botnets function, consider that the name itself is a blending of the words “robot” and “network”.

They command their infected bot army to overload a website to the point that it stops functioning and/or access is denied. The simultaneous influx of such a large number of signals, pings, and requests would overload the DMV’s phone system, likely shutting it down completely.Cybercriminals use botnets to create a similar disruption on the internet. Now, imagine you wrangled 100 of your friends, to do the same thing. Aside from the deafening sounds of ringing phones and the scurrying of State employees, not much else would happen. The criminal’s ultimate goal is often financial gain, malware propagation, or just general disruption of the internet.Imagine the following: You’ve enlisted ten of your friends to call the Department of Motor Vehicles at the same time on the same day.

The strategy typically requires users to infect their own systems by opening email attachments, clicking on malicious pop up ads, or downloading dangerous software from a website. Bot herders often deploy botnets onto computers through a trojan horse virus. Botnet InfectionsBotnets aren’t typically created to compromise just one individual computer they’re designed to infect millions of devices.

Botnets As A Ddos Attack Tool Update Their Behavior

What’s worse, botnet design continues to evolve, making newer versions harder to find.Botnets take time to grow. Users are unaware they’re connected device is being controlled by cyber criminals. More advanced botnets are even designed to update their behavior so as to thwart detection by cybersecurity software. They use only small amounts of computing power to avoid disrupting normal device functions and alerting the user. Such autonomous bots carry out seek-and-infect missions, constantly searching the web for vulnerable internet-connected devices lacking operating system updates or antivirus software.Botnets are difficult to detect.

The attack used a botnet comprised of security cameras and DVRs. Often appliance manufacturers use unsecure passwords to guard entry into their devices, making them easy for autonomous bots scouring the internet to find and exploit.As the never-ending growth of the Internet of Things brings more devices online, cyber criminals have greater opportunities to grow their botnets, and with it, the level of impact.In 2016, a large DDoS attack hit the internet infrastructure company Dyn. PCs, laptops, mobile devices, DVR’s, smartwatches, security cameras, and smart kitchen appliances can all fall within the web of a botnet.Although it seems absurd to think of a refrigerator or coffee maker becoming the unwitting participant in a cyber crime, it happens more often than most people realize. Vulnerable DevicesBotnets can infect almost any device connected directly or wirelessly to the internet.

$botnets as a ddos attack tool$

Botnet buyers then carry out cyber attacks, spread ransomware, or steal personal information.Laws surrounding botnets and cybercrime continue to evolve. After infecting and wrangling thousands of devices, botmasters look for other cybercriminals interested in using them to propagate malware. Selling and Renting BotnetsBotnets can even be sold or rented on the internet.

The botmaster uses special software to establish command and control (C&C) servers to relay instructions to each client device.While the client-server model works well for taking and maintaining control over the botnet, it has several downsides: it’s relatively easy for law enforcement official to location of the C&C server, and it has only one control point. Botnet StructuresBotnet structures usually take one of two forms, and each structure is designed to give the botmaster as much control as possible.The client-server botnet structure is set up like a basic network with one main server controlling the transmission of information from each client. It’s likely cyber laws will begin to hold users more responsible for crimes committed by their own devices.

Like the mythological Hydra, cutting off the head won’t kill the beast. The lack of a single C&C server also makes P2P botnets harder to disrupt. Individual bots have a list of other infected devices and will seek them out to update and to transmit information between them.P2P botnet structures make it harder for law enforcement to locate any centralized source. In a P2P botnet, each infected device functions as a client and a server.

Update your operating systemOne of the tips always topping the list of malware preventative measures is keeping your OS updated. Now that you’ve armed yourself with the knowledge of how botnets work, here are some ways to keep botnets at bay. Botnet PreventionIt should be clear by now that preventing botnet infection requires a comprehensive strategy one that includes good surfing habits and antivirus protection.

Even scrutinize emails sent from friends and family. Don’t open an attachment from an unknown source. Avoid email attachments from suspicious or unknown sourcesEmail attachments are a favorite source of infection for many types of viruses. Set your OS to update automatically and make sure you’re running the latest version.

Scan any downloads before executing the files or find safer alternatives for transferring files. Avoid downloads from P2P and file sharing networksBotnets use P2P networks and file sharing services to infect computers. That email from your mother may actually be a botnet in disguise.

Look for antivirus protection that’s designed to cover all of your devices, not just your computer. Get Antivirus SoftwareGetting antivirus software is the best way to avoid and eliminate botnets. Malicious links like to live in message boards, YouTube comments, pop up ads, and the like. Hover your cursor over the hypertext and check to see where the URL actually goes.

Taking preventative action now will protect your identity, data, and devices. Laws will eventually change to hold users more responsible for the actions of their devices.