The continuous increase of the Internet of Things (IoT) dependence on both home and office use has provided an alternative attack surface for perpetrators who target misconfigured IoT devices as well as devices with weak passwords. Cyber threat actors are using malware to compromise IoT devices and add them to botnets.
Botnets are a network of hijacked computer devices used to carry out cyberattacks and scams. Once a device is added to a botnet, it can be used to automate mass cyberattacks without the owner’s consent. The botnet is capable of infiltrating the network of the resident organization, wiping data from affected devices, and launching a Distributed Denial of Service attack.
Affected organizations may be disrupted from providing their critical services as well as running critical processes. This can lead to financial losses as well as reputational damage. It is necessary for system administrators to avoid the use of default credentials for remote access. Continuous updates of systems and devices, and round-the-clock monitoring, are also important in preventing and detecting botnet attacks.