Computer and Information Security Handbook, 2nd Edition

Chapter 12

The Botnet Problem

Daniel Ramsbrock,    George Mason University

Xinyuan Wang,    George Mason University

A botnet is a collection of compromised Internet computers being controlled remotely by attackers for malicious and illegal purposes. The term comes from programs that are called robots, or bots for short, because of their automated behavior.

Bot software is highly evolved Internet malware, incorporating components of viruses, worms, spyware, and other malicious software. The person controlling a botnet is known as the botmaster or bot-herder; and he or she seeks to preserve that person’s anonymity at all costs. Unlike previous malware such as viruses and worms, the motivation for operating a botnet is financial. Botnets are extremely ...