November 1, 2023 at 04:04PM
The Mozi botnet, which accounted for 90% of all malicious IoT network traffic, has disappeared after a kill switch was discovered. The “Who killed Mozi?” question remains unanswered. ESET Research found the kill switch, which deactivated the malware and disabled certain functions. The investigation suggests that either the original Mozi botnet creator or Chinese law enforcement could be behind the takedown. The researchers will provide a more detailed analysis in the future.
According to the meeting notes, the Mozi botnet, which accounted for 90 percent of malicious IoT network traffic, has disappeared. ESET Research discovered a kill switch for the botnet, but the identity of the individual or entity behind its takedown remains unknown. There are two theories: either the original Mozi botnet creator initiated the shutdown, or Chinese law enforcement intervened, possibly with the cooperation or coercion of the original actors. The investigation is ongoing, and a more detailed analysis will be published in the future. However, it is worth noting that botnets have a history of resurfacing.