U.S. Shuts Down Chinese State-Sponsored Botnet
As of Sept. 18, the FBI had taken the botnet down, which authorities say was controlled by the Chinese government.
Co-Opted Thousands of Personal Devices
The Justice Department says that China surreptitiously installed malware on thousands of internet-connected devices owned by Americans. They then co-opted these devices into a “botnet”– using them to conduct malicious cyber activity.
That included cyber attacks and intrusions against other computers inside and outside the United States. Chinese hackers used the botnet to transmit malware while obfuscating their own IP addresses, hiding their physical location, according to an affidavit in the case.
Feds also say that while the Chinese hackers ostensibly worked for a company called “Integrity Technology Group,” they were controlled and directed by the Chinese government. These hackers used a particular type of malware to target devices, and the hackers were collectively known to the world as “Flax Typhoon.”
How to Build a Botnet
A botnet can contaminate home devices, including routers, DVRs, cameras and storage devices connected to a network with malware. These can be networked and accumulated into a botnet that hackers can then use to attack other computers using the bandwidth and identity information of the co-opted devices to hide their tracks.
Protect Yourself Against Botnets
Avoiding malware is key in preventing your devices from being co-opted by botnets.
Malware may be delivered through different channels:
- Email – Clicking on an unknown email attachment or link can unleash a virus onto your computer that collects your personal data.
- Phone Calls – If someone from “tech support” calls you to tell you that you have a virus on your phone and they need access to it to help you, hang up. They will download a virus onto your phone to steal your information.
- Website Pop-Ups – Websites try to scare people by telling them they have a virus in a pop-up box and then say to “Click Here” to rid their computer of the virus. In reality, those people didn’t have a virus but get one when they click on the pop-up.
- Apps – Hackers can infect an app with malware or malicious code and then make the app available for free. Once you download the app, it can infect your device and steal your information.
Using preventative measures like keeping your computer software updated and avoiding suspicious emails and pop-up links can also help keep your devices safe.
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