EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
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DOROS HADJIZENONOS , REGIONAL SALES
DIRECTOR ( SOUTHERN AFRICA ), FORTINET
Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + exposing a bot herder to detection and takedown . An interesting development , therefore , is the integration of several elements into a single solution :
• Using automation to build swarms
• Leveraging swarm intelligence for resource utilisation
• Using Blockchain for a secure last point of contact or communication with an autonomous swarm to replace more vulnerable C2 solutions such as Fast Flux networks ( a technique used by botnets to hide malware delivery sites ) or P2P communications
While most people only consider Blockchain in terms of digital currencies , they can also be used to ensure a wide range of functionalities .
As organisations like the FBI and Interpol work harder to track and arrest cyberattackers , criminals are being forced to look for new ways to avoid detection , attribution and capture .
Bitcoin taught us it was possible to build systems that are deployed between multiple entities to conduct transactions without compromising the privacy of individual participants . This ability makes Blockchain a desirable candidate for creating anonymous C2 systems . Until recently , however , this was just a theory . But now , security researcher Omer Zohar has successfully used Blockchain technology to create a takedown-resistant , commandand-control infrastructure for botnets built on top of the Ethereum network .
The biggest challenge of any botnet is maintaining communication with its controller . C2 communications are the weakest link in any botnet environment ,
For example , secure Blockchain communications are immune to data modifications , eavesdropping , MITM attacks and replay attacks . They also ensure high availability , as the node is always able to find the C2 server .
It is also highly scalable ; it can support any number of implants and any load of transactions and is only limited by the overhead required to run the Blockchain . Because only valid implants can connect , it can also prevent things like replays and honeypotting . One of the most critical advantages of Blockchain technology is anonymity . Since it hinders law enforcement from gathering information on network operators , it represents a dangerous new challenge . And because there is no single point of failure , and the lack of a logic path prevents an adversarial takeover of the network , it is also takedown resistant .
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