Analysis Summary

The Mirai botnet is a type of malware that infects Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as routers, security cameras, and other smart devices, to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The botnet was first discovered in August 2016 and quickly gained notoriety for its ability to launch some of the largest DDoS attacks ever recorded, including an attack that took down the DNS provider Dyn.

Mirai works by scanning the internet for devices that use default or easily guessable passwords, such as "admin" or "password". Once a vulnerable device is identified, the malware infects it and adds it to the botnet, which can then be used to launch DDoS attacks on a target.

Mirai is particularly effective because it can exploit the large number of poorly secured IoT devices that are connected to the internet. This makes it difficult to defend against, as many of these devices have limited processing power and memory, and may not receive regular security updates.

Since its discovery, Mirai has continued to evolve and new variants of the malware have been detected. The best defense against Mirai is to ensure that IoT devices are properly secured, with strong passwords and regular security updates. Network administrators can also use tools to monitor for unusual traffic patterns that may indicate a DDoS attack is underway.

Impact

• Server Outage
• Data Loss
• Website Downtime

Indicators of Compromise

SHA1

• 834ce680503158ebbf7486663989a3fc573bdbf3
• 4888c1c4df5cfc9f76b9dc5094e9b991127e16f5

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for indicators of compromise (IOCs) in your environment utilizing your respective security controls.
• Never trust or open links and attachments received from unknown sources/senders.
• Upgrade your operating system.
• Enable antivirus and anti-malware software and update signature definitions on time. Using multi-layered protection is necessary to secure vulnerable assets.
• Immediately change default passwords on IoT devices to unique ones.
• Keep devices' firmware and software up to date to ensure that known vulnerabilities are patched.
• Implement firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor and control traffic to and from IoT devices.
• Employ tools that can identify unusual behavior or traffic patterns that might indicate a DDoS attack or a compromised device.
• Disable any unnecessary services or features on IoT devices to reduce their attack surface.
• Follow security best practices, such as disabling remote management if not needed and enabling security features provided by the device manufacturer.
• Deploy intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor for anomalous or malicious network activity.
• Set up alerts for unusual traffic patterns that might indicate a DDoS attack or a compromised device.