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T1584.005 Botnet

Adversaries may compromise numerous third-party systems to form a botnet that can be used during targeting. A botnet is a network of compromised systems that can be instructed to perform coordinated tasks.3 Instead of purchasing/renting a botnet from a booter/stresser service, adversaries may build their own botnet by compromising numerous third-party systems.2 Adversaries may also conduct a takeover of an existing botnet, such as redirecting bots to adversary-controlled C2 servers.1 With a botnet at their disposal, adversaries may perform follow-on activity such as large-scale Phishing or Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).

Item Value
ID T1584.005
Sub-techniques T1584.001, T1584.002, T1584.003, T1584.004, T1584.005, T1584.006, T1584.007, T1584.008
Tactics TA0042
Platforms PRE
Version 1.0
Created 01 October 2020
Last Modified 24 October 2025

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
G0001 Axiom Axiom has used large groups of compromised machines for use as proxy nodes.5
G0125 HAFNIUM HAFNIUM has used compromised devices in covert networks to obfuscate communications.4
C0055 Quad7 Activity Quad7 Activity has compromised various branded SOHO routers to form a botnet that has been leveraged in password spraying activity.89
G0034 Sandworm Team Sandworm Team has used a large-scale botnet to target Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) network devices.6
G1017 Volt Typhoon
Volt Typhoon Volt Typhoon has used compromised Cisco and NETGEAR end-of-life SOHO routers implanted with KV Botnet malware to support operations.7

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1056 Pre-compromise This technique cannot be easily mitigated with preventive controls since it is based on behaviors performed outside of the scope of enterprise defenses and controls.

References

  1. Dell SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit Threat Intelligence. (2015, October 13). Dridex (Bugat v5) Botnet Takeover Operation. Retrieved May 31, 2019. ↩

  2. Imperva. (n.d.). Booters, Stressers and DDoSers. Retrieved October 4, 2020. ↩

  3. Norton. (n.d.). What is a botnet?. Retrieved October 4, 2020. ↩

  4. Microsoft Threat Intelligence . (2025, March 5). Silk Typhoon targeting IT supply chain. Retrieved March 20, 2025. ↩

  5. Novetta. (n.d.). Operation SMN: Axiom Threat Actor Group Report. Retrieved November 12, 2014. ↩

  6. CISA et al.. (2024, February 7). PRC State-Sponsored Actors Compromise and Maintain Persistent Access to U.S. Critical Infrastructure. Retrieved May 15, 2024. ↩

  7. Batista, João. Gi7w0rm. (2024, August 27). Retrieved June 5, 2025. ↩

  8. Microsoft Threat Intelligence. (2024, October 31). Chinese threat actor Storm-0940 uses credentials from password spray attacks from a covert network. Retrieved June 4, 2025. ↩