Noun
botnet (plural botnets)
(Internet, computer security) A collection of compromised computers that is gradually built up and then unleashed as a DDOS attack or used to send very large quantities of spam.
A botnet is a network of zombie computers programmed to receive commands without the owners' knowledge. citation When a server is overloaded with connections, new connections can no longer be accepted. Source: Internet
Example Buer control panel of botnet with four zombies. Source: Internet
According to ESET, this particular group has been around since 2011, with ready-to-go botnet kits sold on the dark web, variously known as Andromeda, Gamarue and Wauchos. Source: Internet
Consumer devices Desktop computers and laptops are commonly infected with malware either to gather passwords or financial account information, or to construct a botnet to attack another target. Source: Internet
"And it's a lot safer to run a botnet than it is to go to the street and break someone's kneecaps." Source: Internet
But it remains to be seen how effective the FBI's sinkholing of the control domain will be at containing any malicious use of the router botnet. Source: Internet