Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Welcome! Log in to stay connected and make the most of your experience.

Input clean

The Power of Botnets: Amplifying Crime, Disinformation, and Espionage

The Power of Botnets: Amplifying Crime, Disinformation, and Espionage

Imagine an army of computers, acting under the instructions of a criminal syndicate, terrorist group, or foreign government. The sheer size of this network of devices augments the computing power of a single hacker, allowing them to coordinate attacks capable of knocking offline crucial websites belonging to banks, social media, and news organizations.

These so-called botnets can disrupt the internet’s infrastructure, facilitate theft and surveillance on a mass scale, and even sway political opinion. Such subtle influence could shape electorates and influence entire government policies – all staged from the comfort of a keyboard anywhere in the world.

Keep reading...Show less
Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.

Related Articles

Women Who Weaponized Words in World War II

BOOK REVIEW: Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women of the OSSBy Lisa Rogak / St. Martin’s PressReviewed by: Tammy Kupperman ThorpThe Reviewer [...] More

What’s Happening in L.A. May Not Stay in L.A.

OPINION / COLUMN -- “At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court [for the Northern District of California] must determine whether the President [...] More

South Korea’s New President

OPINION — On June 3rd South Korea turned the page and is embarked on a journey of peace and prosperity. Lee Jae-Myung handily won the presidential [...] More

Report for Monday, June 16, 2025

7:38 AM America/New_York Monday, June 16 [...] More

The Houthi Balancing Act After Israel’s Attack on Iran

OPINION — How will the Houthis respond to the devastating Israeli strikes on Iran? This moment could prove decisive for both the Iran-led axis and [...] More