The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Mirai is malware that turned insecure internet-connected devices—such as cameras, routers, and digital video recorders—into remotely controlled bots. Attackers coordinated those devices to flood targets with traffic in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. In 2016, Mirai-related attacks hit KrebsOnSecurity, OVH, and DNS provider Dyn. Dyn’s disruption made some sites that depended on its DNS service difficult or impossible to reach; it did not take down the entire internet.
What is the Mirai botnet?
A botnet is a group of compromised devices that an attacker can control together. Mirai was malware that recruited internet-connected devices with weak security and used them as bots. A single camera or router might have limited capacity, but a large group can generate enough coordinated traffic to disrupt a target.
The U.S. Department of Justice describes a DDoS attack as multiple computers acting in unison to flood a target’s internet connection. In Mirai’s case, the bots were often ordinary embedded devices rather than the desktop computers people usually associate with malware.
How did Mirai infect IoT devices?
Mirai searched the internet for exposed devices and attempted to log in using weak factory-default or hardcoded usernames and passwords. When it found a vulnerable device, the malware infected it and made it report to a central control server. That allowed the attacker to direct the device as part of the botnet. The FBI identified routers, cameras, and DVRs among the device types involved in Mirai activity.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →#1 Best Overall
- 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫/𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚 — 2.5K HD video, vibrant color night vision and IP66, ensuring you never miss a moment, day or night,rainy or sunny. With dual-band 2.4G/5G WiFi & Plug and play setup of the cameras for home security - just download app and scan QR code! No tools needed for tabletop use, mounting screws included for walls
- 𝟐.𝟓𝐊 𝐐𝐇𝐃 & 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 — Experience crystal-clear visibility day and night with full-color night vision enhanced by a built-in white light. Perfect as a baby monitor, pet camera, or security camera to monitor your home inside and out
- 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐈 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 — Stay informed about what matters most with human/motion/sound detection up to 33 feet away. The camera deters intruders with flashing lights and a siren while sending instant alerts to your phone — keeping you one step ahead of any suspicious activity. Call +1 (978) 437-5767 for expert support with setting up and optimizing Vimtag cameras, available Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (ET)
- 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐰𝐨-𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 - Communicate effortlessly with guests or check in on pets using the upgraded two-way audio feature of this indoor camera, allowing you to see, hear, and speak from anywhere
- 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 - With the mobile app, you can access the baby camera's video anytime, anywhere, view real-time footage, and even share monitoring content with family, keeping you informed about your home dynamics while you're away.Enjoy secure cloud recording with Vimtag Cloud (subscription required) for detecting people, sounds, motion. Alternatively, you can insert a microSD card (sold separately) for local video storage
- Find exposed devices: Mirai continuously scanned for IoT devices reachable over the internet.
- Exploit weak access controls: It attempted to use factory-default or hardcoded credentials.
- Recruit the device: An infected device became a bot that could communicate with the botnet’s control infrastructure.
- Coordinate an attack: Many bots could be instructed to send traffic at the same target, creating a DDoS attack.
The President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee described Mirai as “continuously scanning for IoT devices accessible over the Internet that are only protected by factory default settings and contain hardcoded user names and passwords.” This is why a device that appears to perform a simple household task can still matter to network security: if it is exposed and poorly protected, it can be abused as part of a much larger attack.
What happened in the 2016 Mirai attacks?
Mirai’s 2016 attacks included KrebsOnSecurity, OVH, and Dyn, according to the USENIX Security Symposium’s 2017 study. The study’s seven-month retrospective tracked the botnet’s growth to a peak of 600,000 infections. That figure is the researchers’ measured peak during the study period, not a current count of infected devices.
KrebsOnSecurity and OVH
The attacks on KrebsOnSecurity and OVH demonstrated how a botnet built from insecure devices could be used against prominent online targets. The attack traffic came from many compromised devices acting together, rather than from a single source.
Rank #2
- Continuously Powered by Solar: Just 3 hours of sunlight is enough to keep the camera running. The tiny size and wire-free design allow it to be installed anywhere.
- Day and Night Clarity: Enjoy clear black-and-white night vision thanks to infrared LEDs and an f/1.6 aperture. Please note that spotlight color night vision is not supported.
- Easy Installation: Use anywhere thanks to its tiny size and wire-free design. Drill one hole, once.
- Human Detection: Al alerts you to anyone in your yard, whether family, a courier, or a stranger. Connect to HomeBase 3 for individual facial recognition.
- No Monthly Fee: One-time purchase. No monthly fees or hidden costs. On-device storage and AI for complete security and transparency.
Why the Dyn attack affected access to websites
Dyn provided DNS, the service that helps translate a domain name into the network address a computer uses to connect. The NSTAC report says the October 2016 attack on Dyn disrupted some of the world’s largest websites. When a DNS provider is disrupted, people may be unable to reach sites that depend on it even if those sites’ own servers have not been destroyed. The result was a significant outage for affected services, not a literal shutdown of the entire internet.
Recommended Free Tools
How Mirai spread beyond the original attacks
Mirai’s source code was publicly released in 2016. KrebsOnSecurity reported the release on October 1, 2016, and the DOJ later documented the code’s posting in its account of the original variant and related cases. Public code can make it easier for others to create or adapt malware, but it does not mean every later attack attributed to a Mirai variant was carried out by the original authors.
In a 2020 account of a juvenile participant’s guilty plea to acts of federal juvenile delinquency, the DOJ described a Mirai variant and attacks that caused losses to Dyn, Sony, Southern New Hampshire University, and others. The DOJ’s wording distinguishes that participant and variant; it should not be read as establishing that one person was responsible for all Mirai activity.
Rank #3
- High-definition pan and tilt camera: Capture every detail in pristine 1080p HD quality, from any angle, with the Energizer Connect security camera's 355-degree horizontal and 48-degree vertical pan and tilt capabilities.
- Night Vision Equipped: Camera has 4 led lights and 4 IR lights that switch automatically depending on the lighting conditions, allowing you to see color at night or black and white in total darkness.
- Two-Way Audio: Allowing you to listen and talk to the person in the video, using the built-in microphone and speaker, or siren alarm to deter intruders.
- Flexible Storage Options: Choose cloud storage with a complimentary 30-day trial or utilize a micro SD card (up to 128GB, not included) for local recording.
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Compatible: Connects to your 2.4ghz wifi network, which is the most common wifi frequency. It does not support 5ghz wifi networks.
How to reduce the risk from insecure IoT devices
The FBI’s consumer advisory recommends taking the security of connected devices seriously. No single maintenance step can guarantee that a device is safe or clean a device already compromised, but careful setup and ongoing maintenance can reduce common risks.
- Change default credentials where the device supports it. Use a unique password rather than leaving a factory login in place.
- Install available security updates. Follow the manufacturer’s current instructions for checking and applying firmware updates.
- Avoid unnecessary internet exposure. Review the device and router settings, and do not expose remote management services unless you need them and understand how to secure them.
- Check the manufacturer’s guidance. The right update or recovery steps vary by device and model; do not assume a password change alone removes malware.
- Report suspected compromise. The FBI advisory says consumers can contact a local FBI office or submit a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
The FBI has also warned that growing IoT connectivity expands the potential attack surface, while cybersecurity can be under-prioritized from device design through implementation. That makes security a shared responsibility: manufacturers need to build and maintain safer devices, and owners should configure and update the products they connect.
Quick Recap
Sources
- FBI IC3: “Common Internet of Things Devices May Expose Consumers to Cyber Exploitation” (2017)
- U.S. Department of Justice: “Individual Pleads Guilty to Participating in Internet-of-Things Cyberattack in 2016” (2020)
- USENIX Security Symposium: “Understanding the Mirai Botnet” (2017)
- President’s NSTAC: “Report to the President on Internet and Communications Resilience” (2017), hosted by CISA
- KrebsOnSecurity: “Source Code for IoT Botnet ‘Mirai’ Released” (October 1, 2016)
- FBI testimony: “Small Business Information Sharing: Combating Foreign Cyber Threats” (2018)
- U.S. Department of Justice: DDoS attacks explained
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
