6 things you should know about botnet attacks

Connecting state and local government leaders

September 2, 2009

Denial-of-service attacks aren't new, but the rapidly increasing number of attacks makes them a formidable security threat.

Denial-of-service attacks aren't new, but the rapidly increasing number of attacks is making botnets a formidable security threat. Here are six things to keep in mind as you secure your networks.

1. What you see isn’t always what you get. Determining the source of an attack is challenging. The so-called North Korean attacks in July appear to have been controlled from a server in the United Kingdom. Remember, just because an attack originates in one country doesn’t mean it is managed from there.

2. Money changes everything. Money is a motivator as underground developers are selling tools such as an online service to run new malware variants against the most popular antivirus engines to identify which ones make it through. With botnet tools for sale, relative amateurs can launch sophisticated attacks.

3. It’s not just kids anymore. Professionalism is on the rise. The most serious attacks can go undetected as botnets designed to steal data or tap computing power have gotten better at encryption and covering their tracks.

4. It’s not the medium, it’s the message. Be as suspicious of tweets and videos as you are of e-mails.

5. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Consider real-time content analysis as a weapon in defending your networks.

6. New world order. Get used to them -- they are here to stay. New attacks are emerging at a faster and faster pace, so the need to update security is paramount.

For more on botnet attacks, click here.

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