The Rise of Botnets : How IoT Devices are becoming tools for cybercriminals

By: Vanna karthik; Vel Tech University, Chennai, India

Abstract

The growth of Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets has completely changed the digital landscape. But this change has also resulted in a startling rise in cybercrime, with IoT devices increasingly being targeted by botnet attacks. Botnets, which are networks of compromised devices under the control of cybercriminals, use the flaws in IoT devices to launch massive attacks. Data breaches, ransomware deployment, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are just a few of the malicious uses for these attacks. This study investigates how IoT devices have turned into instruments for cybercrimes, looking at the workings of botnets, IoT device weaknesses, and the implications for cybersecurity. It also covers ways to protect IoT devices from exploitation and lessen the threat caused by botnets.

Introduction

By allowing more connectivity and automation, the spread of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in recent years has changed households, companies, and industries. IoT gadgets have settled themselves into everyday life, from industrial machinery to smart home appliances. However, the likelihood of cybercrime is increasing along with the number of connected gadgets. The emergence of botnet networks of hacked IoT gadgets exploited for a variety of malicious purposes is a serious worry in this regard. IoT botnets have emerged as a key weapon for cybercriminals, enabling extensive attacks that have the potential to seriously harm systems. With a focus on the function of botnets, the weaknesses they take advantage of, and the broader implications for cybersecurity, this study explores how IoT devices are used as instruments for crimes. The study tries to draw attention to the pressing need for more thorough legal structures and improved IoT security measures in order to combat this new threat.

Literature review

While there are many advantages to the growing number of IoT devices, there are also serious security risks. [1]) found that the sheer number and variety of IoT devices creates numerous weaknesses that hackers might take advantage of. Comfort and budget are major considerations in the design of many IoT devices, frequently at the expense of strong security protections. The Internet of Things (IoT) is made up of networks of integrated items, computing devices, and digital or mechanical machinery that can send and receive data without requiring human contact. Within the current Internet architecture, each of these devices is capable of functioning independently. It gives some loopholes to attackers to attack on weakness of devices[2].

One of the most dangerous types of IoT-related cybercrime is botnets, which are networks of infected devices under the direction of a malicious actor. The popular Mirai botnet took use of unprotected IoT devices like routers and webcams to launch huge DDoS assaults in 2016. [3]the Mirai botnet demonstrated the susceptibility of Internet of Things devices and the extent of harm that can result from their capture.

Botnets are commonly employed in spam emails, DDoS attacks, data theft, and, more recently, cryptocurrency mining[4]. The attack surface for botnets has been significantly increased by the exponential growth of IoT devices, especially in the context of smart cities and industrial IoT (IIoT).

Botnet attack types and impacts

Attack type	Primary impact
Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS)	Service disruption financial loss
Data theft	Identify theft, data branches
Spam mails	Reputation damage network congestion
Cryptocurrency mining	Resource depletion performance degradation

Fig : IoT Device Attack Flow (Botnet Exploitation)[5]

Methodology

Using a qualitative approach, this study synthesizes the body of knowledge on IoT security and cybercrimes including botnets. In order to better understand how cybercriminals take use of IoT weaknesses, it contains a study of case studies, including the  botnet attack. The report also looks at recent technology achievements in IoT security, such as improvements in encryption and device authentication.

Conclusion

The growing interconnection of IoT devices has indirectly made it easier for hackers to construct botnets. As the number of IoT devices increases, bad actors take advantage of these weaknesses, frequently causing serious harm to people, governments, and enterprises. Stronger authentication techniques are need to improve for IoT security. Stronger security frameworks, tighter regulatory supervision, and increased industry stakeholder collaboration are urgently needed to effectively counter the emergence of IoT-based botnets.

References

1. “Advances in IoT Security: Vulnerabilities, Enabled Criminal Services, Attacks, and Countermeasures | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore.” Accessed: Dec. 27, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10059147
2. S. Rizvi, R. Orr, A. Cox, P. Ashokkumar, and M. R. Rizvi, “Identifying the attack surface for IoT network,” Internet Things, vol. 9, p. 100162, Mar. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.iot.2020.100162.
3. X. Zhang, O. Upton, N. L. Beebe, and K.-K. R. Choo, “IoT Botnet Forensics: A Comprehensive Digital Forensic Case Study on Mirai Botnet Servers,” Forensic Sci. Int. Digit. Investig., vol. 32, p. 300926, Apr. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2020.300926.
4. A. Shafee, “Botnets and their detection techniques,” in 2020 International Symposium on Networks, Computers and Communications (ISNCC), Oct. 2020, pp. 1–6. doi: 10.1109/ISNCC49221.2020.9297307.
5. “Figure 4. A flow diagram of an IoT botnet.,” ResearchGate. Accessed: Dec. 27, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-flow-diagram-of-an-IoT-botnet_fig4_352566503
6. Lu, J., Shen, J., Vijayakumar, P., & Gupta, B. B. (2021). Blockchain-based secure data storage protocol for sensors in the industrial internet of things. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 18(8), 5422-5431.
7. Zou, L., Sun, J., Gao, M., Wan, W., & Gupta, B. B. (2019). A novel coverless information hiding method based on the average pixel value of the sub-images. Multimedia tools and applications, 78, 7965-7980.
8. V. Adat (2021), Network Coding: A Multi-Faceted Enabler for Next-Generation Wireless Networks!, Insights2Techinfo, pp. 1-2

Cite As

Karthik V. (2025) The Rise of Botnets : How IoT Devices are becoming tools for cybercriminalsCybercriminals Target IoT Devices and Strategies for Protection, Insights2techinfo pp.1

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