Botnet is a jargon term for a collection of software robots, or
bots, which run autonomously. This can also refer to the network of computers using distributed computing software.
While the term "
botnet" can be used to refer to any group of bots, such as IRC bots, the word is generally used to refer to a collection of
compromised machines running programs (usually referred to as worms,
Trojan horses, or backdoors) under a common command and control infrastructure. A
botnet's originator can control the group remotely, usually through a means such as IRC, and usually for nefarious purposes. Individual programs manifest as IRC "bots". Often the command and control takes place via an IRC server or a specific channel on a public IRC network. A bot typically runs hidden, and complies with the
RFC 1459 (IRC) standard. Generally, the perpetrator of the botnet has compromised a series of systems using various tools (exploits,
buffer overflows, as well as others; see also
RPC). Newer bots can automatically
scan their environment and
propagate themselves using vulnerabilities and weak passwords. Generally, the more vulnerabilities a bot can scan and propagate through, the more valuable it becomes to a botnet owner community