February 1, 2024 at 04:06AM
The US government conducted a major takedown of a botnet using end-of-life Cisco and Netgear routers that were exploited by Chinese state-backed hackers. The botnet, linked to the Chinese APT Volt Typhoon, targeted various sectors, and the FBI remotely seized control of infected routers. The operation aimed to delete malware and prevent reinfection.
Summary of Meeting Notes:
1. The US government announced a major takedown of a botnet consisting primarily of end-of-life Cisco and Netgear routers being used by Chinese state-backed hackers for covert communication.
2. The botnet, known as KV Botnet, was linked to the Chinese APT group, Volt Typhoon, which has targeted US critical infrastructure.
3. The disruption involved a court-authorized operation by the FBI to remotely seize control of infected routers, delete malware, change settings, and block communication with the botnet’s command-and-control system.
4. Efforts were taken to avoid impacting the legitimate functions of the hacked routers during the operation.
5. The FBI is notifying all owners or operators of the targeted SOHO routers about the takedown operation.
6. Researchers identified the botnet as containing outdated Cisco, Netgear, and Fortinet devices, with known security vulnerabilities.
7. It was noted that the only solution for these vulnerable devices is to replace them due to the lack of available security patches.
8. Relevant court documents and warnings from government officials and researchers were released to inform the public about the takedown operation and associated security concerns.
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