{"id":3878,"date":"2026-08-05T23:40:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T20:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leaderteam.ro\/en\/?p=3878"},"modified":"2026-08-05T23:40:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T20:40:10","slug":"what-are-botnets-and-how-are-they-used-in-cyber-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leaderteam.ro\/en\/what-are-botnets-and-how-are-they-used-in-cyber-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"What are botnets and how are they used in cyber attacks?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A botnet is a network of infected devices, secretly controlled by attackers to launch large-scale cyberattacks. If you have an internet-connected business, there’s a real chance your devices have already been targeted.<\/p>\n

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  1. \ud83d\udda5\ufe0f A botnet can include thousands or millions of devices<\/strong> – computers, phones, surveillance cameras, routers – all infected without the owners’ knowledge.<\/li>\n
  2. \u26a1 DDoS attacks launched by botnets can cost a company approximately $22,000 per minute of downtime<\/strong> – a real financial risk, not a theoretical one.<\/li>\n
  3. \ud83c\udfaf Botnets don’t just attack tech giants<\/strong> – over half of cyberattacks target small and medium-sized companies, which have more limited resources to defend themselves.<\/li>\n
  4. \ud83d\udd12 A device is often infected through a simple email or fake update<\/strong> – without any visible interaction from the user.<\/li>\n
  5. \ud83d\udccb Cyber \u200b\u200binsurance covers direct financial losses caused by a botnet attack<\/strong>\u00a0– including recovery costs, business interruption, and customer liability.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n

    \ud83e\udd16 What is a botnet?<\/h2>\n

    \ud83d\udd17 Simple, jargon-free definition<\/h3>\n

    The word “botnet” comes from combining the terms “robot” and “network.” Specifically, a botnet is a collection of internet-connected devices – computers, laptops, phones, routers, IP cameras – that have been infected with malicious software and are remotely controlled by an attacker.<\/p>\n

    The owners of these devices are usually unaware that they are part of such a network. The device operates normally, but in the background it executes commands received from the attacker. The first documented botnet appeared in 2001, and since then, networks of this type have grown exponentially in size and sophistication (Wikipedia, 2024).<\/p>\n

    \ud83e\udde0 How an infected device ends up in a botnet<\/h3>\n

    Infection occurs, most commonly, through one of these three mechanisms:<\/p>\n