For those contemplating launching cyber attacks on their customers, partners, or competitors, the dark web now offers botnets for as little as $99. This article aims to shed light on these alarming developments in the cybercrime world, without endorsing illegal activities.
Over the past three months, several dark web marketplaces have begun offering significant discounts on botnet subscriptions, one-time purchases, and rentals, leveraging the global excitement surrounding the Olympic Games. Their goal is to provide individuals and groups with the means to conduct cyber-attacks via rented botnets.
Kaspersky, the Russian cybersecurity firm currently facing a sales and service ban in the U.S., was among the first to uncover these troubling trends. According to the firm, the market for such botnets—devices controlled by hackers and used to launch attacks—has grown significantly. This growth is driven by increasingly sophisticated tools that allow cybercriminals to easily acquire and deploy botnets, potentially disrupting poorly secured networks of businesses and public entities.
Experts in cybersecurity warn that the availability of these attack tools is rapidly increasing, akin to the accessibility of everyday items like bottled water or snacks. The range of services and pricing for these cyberattack tools is diverse, with different rates for subscription packages versus one-time uses.
For those unfamiliar with botnets, they consist of networks of compromised computing devices controlled by malware. These botnets are typically used to steal data, send massive amounts of spam or phishing emails, or flood servers with fake traffic, leading to crashes and downtime.
Creating and controlling botnets is illegal, and those involved in these activities face severe legal consequences worldwide. To protect against such threats, it is crucial to practice good password hygiene, avoid purchasing devices with inadequate security, refrain from clicking on suspicious attachments, and use reliable anti-malware solutions.
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