What Is a Botnet?

A botnet is a network of computers or other devices connected to the internet that have been infected with malicious software (malware) and are controlled as a group by a third party.

Botnets are used to send spam emails, launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and infect other computers with malware.

The computers and other devices in a botnet are often referred to as “bots” or “zombies” due to the fact that they are under the control of a third party, usually a cybercriminal.

What is a botnet used for?

Botnets can be used to launch a wide range of malicious activities, such as sending spam emails, spreading malware, stealing data, and launching DDoS attacks.

Botnets are often used to launch large-scale DDoS attacks, which involve hundreds or thousands of bots sending simultaneous requests to overwhelm a target website or server, resulting in a denial of service.

Cybercriminals also use botnets to spread malware, such as ransomware and steal sensitive data from victims.

How do you stay safe from a botnet?

Botnets are difficult to detect because the bots run autonomously, meaning that they can operate without the knowledge of their owners.

Additionally, the bots are often spread across many different networks and locations, making it hard for security researchers to track them down.

To prevent your device from becoming part of a botnet, it’s important to keep all of your software up-to-date, use strong passwords, and avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.

Learn more about other common threats like MITM attacks, DNS spoofing, DDoS attacks, IP spoofing, and rootkit attacks.