A botnet, short for “robot network,” is a network of compromised computers, often referred to as “bots” or “zombies,” that are under the control of a single entity, the . These compromised computers are typically infected with malicious software, known as , which allows the botmaster to control them remotely.
Botnets are frequently used to launch attacks, overwhelming a target’s servers or network infrastructure with a flood of traffic, rendering it to users. In a botnet-powered DDoS attack, a network of compromised computers floods a target with overwhelming traffic to disrupt its services. The infected computers, or bots, follow the commands of the botmaster to execute various types of attacks, such as volume-based, protocol-based, or layer attacks.
Botnets use compromised computers to send out large volumes of emails. The botmaster controls these infected computers, issuing commands for email content and distribution. Spam emails often contain phishing attempts or and techniques like email spoofing make it challenging to filter out malicious emails. Botnets, controlled by a central entity, infect computers and use techniques like to steal usernames and passwords.
