IoT Botnets Wreak Havoc Through Massive DDoS Attacks

What are IoT Devices and How They Get Infected

The Internet of Things (I boldIoTbold) refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting and sharing data. These devices include everything from home appliances like smart TVs and refrigerators, to wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers, to industrial control systems in factories.

The problem lies in the fact that most IoT devices have poor boldsecuritybold measures. They often come with default passwords that most users don’t change, or have boldsoftware vulnerabilitiesbold that can be easily exploited by hackers. This allows cybercriminals to break into the devices and install boldmalwarebold that turns the devices into bots i.e. devices controlled remotely by hackers.

How Botnets Work and Launch DDoS Attacks

Once infected with malware, the IoT devices become part of a boldbotnetbold – a network of compromised devices that are controlled centrally by a hacker through command and control software. The botnets can grow massive in size, with hundreds of thousands or even millions of infected IoT devices under the control of a single hacker.

These botnets are then used to launch powerful boldDistributed Denial of Service (DDoS)bold attacks on target websites or networks. In a DDoS attack, the hacker sends simultaneous requests from all the bots in the botnet to flood the target with traffic. This overloads the target’s servers and disrupts service for legitimate users.

Some of the largest DDoS attacks in history have been carried out using IoT botnets. In 2016, the boldMirai botnetbold brought down major websites like Twitter, Spotify, Reddit, and Paypal through massive 620 Gbps DDoS attacks. Mirai infected over 600,000 IoT devices like DVRs, security cameras, and routers by scanning for default passwords.

Major IoT Botnets Behind DDoS Attacks

Some of the most well-known IoT botnets used for DDoS attacks include:

Mirai Botnet

• First appeared in 2016.
• Infected over 600,000 IoT devices through default passwords.
• Powered massive DDoS attacks exceeding 1 Tbps on targets like Dyn DNS service.

Reaper Botnet

• Emerged in 2017 with over a million bots.
• Infected devices through known software vulnerabilities.
• Launched major DDoS attacks on infrastructure and service providers.

Echobot Botnet

• First seen in 2019.
• Spread through exploits instead of passwords.
• Infected over 50,000 IoT devices and launched DDoS attacks.

Mozi Botnet

• Discovered in 2020 with over 500,000 devices infected.
• Targeted insecure IoT devices like routers and cameras.
• Used in sextortion email scams and DDoS attacks.

Impacts of IoT Botnets and DDoS Attacks

The widespread weaponization of insecure IoT devices through botnets has serious boldimplicationsbold:

• Massive financial losses for companies from revenue and productivity loss during DDoS attacks and recovery.

• Reputational damages for brands unable to maintain services during prolonged attacks.

• Critical infrastructure risks as healthcare, transportation, finance and utilities face outages.

• National security threats as government and military networks are disrupted by large-scale attacks.

• Growing attack sophistication as hackers leverage artificial intelligence to create “smart botnets”.

• Danger of ransomware attacks where bots infect systems and encrypt data for ransom.

How to Mitigate the Threat Posed by IoT Botnets

Here are some ways businesses and consumers can reduce the risks posed by insecure IoT devices and botnet DDoS attacks:

• Build security into IoT devices by design with encrypted firmware updates, no default passwords, and regular patching.

• Enable multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, and access controls for all IoT devices.

• Monitor internet traffic to detect botnet activity, malware infections, and DDoS attacks early.

• Isolate IoT devices into dedicated network segments to limit the blast radius of infections.

• Educate consumers and employees on IoT security best practices around passwords, software updates, and suspicious activity.

• Maintain relationships with cybersecurity firms and law enforcement to quickly respond to IoT botnet and DDoS threats.

• Support legislation that sets minimum security requirements for IoT devices.

The threat of IoT botnets and record-breaking DDoS attacks will continue unless stronger security is built into these connected devices. But organizations can take proactive steps to detect infections early and mitigate damage through layered defenses. With vigilance and collective action, businesses can reduce the risks created by the billions of insecure IoT devices projected to come online in the next few years.