Communications of the ACM
Cyber Command Sought to Disrupt World's Largest Botnet, Hoping to Reduce Its Potential Impact on the Election
U.S. Cyber Command has launched a campaign to temporarily disrupt Trickbot, credited as the world's largest botnet.
Credit: EC-Council
U.S. Cyber Command (CyberCom) has launched a campaign to temporarily disrupt Trickbot, credited as the world's largest botnet, to mitigate its potential interference in the presidential election.
Trickbot installs ransomware, and Department of Homeland Security Officials fear hacks on state or local voter registration offices and related systems could disrupt preparations for Nov. 3, or spread confusion or long queues on Election Day.
CyberCom does not expect to permanently dissolve Trickbot, composed of at least 1 million hijacked computers run by Russian-fluent criminals, but it could distract them for a time as they attempt to restore operations.
Mark Arena at threat intelligence company Intel 471 said the botnet's command and control servers were disrupted on Sept. 22 and Oct. 1, but operators eventually recovered.
One U.S. official said CyberCom's effort, although temporary, should be lauded as "an operation against one of the biggest and most active threat streams."
From The Washington Post
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