Hackers Use Twitter to Control Botnet [Wired: Threat Level]
Twitter has faced its own threat from hackers in recent days, as a denial of service attack has taken the site offline and created a traffic jam for users attempting to use the popular social media site. But now, users might be facing a threat from hackers using Twitter to control botnets. This article from Wired's Threat Level details an instance where a hacker or hackers were using a Twitter account to issue commands to a set of computers in a botnet.
Computers that have been co-opted into a botnet via malicious code can be controlled by the hackers that have co-opted them via various means and for different purposes. This just happens to be the first time a hacker has decided to use Twitter to issue commands to a botnet via tweets that the zombie computers in the botnet read, interpret and act on. The commands could be telling the computers to download a newer version of the hacker's malicious code that is allowing them to be controlled remotely or the hacker could be issuing commands to initiate an attack using the botnet.
Twitter has now suspended this particular Twitter user from issuing any further commands via Twitter, but it's not likely to be the last time a hacker attempts to use Twitter for this particular malicious purpose. Which means it will be important for Twitter to maintain a level of vigilance toward identifying and suspending accounts that attempt to operate in this fashion.
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