Four botnets dismantled in March 2026 had already conscripted 3+ million smart home devices into attacking internet infrastructure. Your device may have been one of them. The Botnets Botnet / Size / Primary Function
Aisuru / 1.2M devices / DDoS attacks, credential stuffing
Kimwolf / 890K devices / Cryptocurrency mining, proxy networks
JackSkid / 650K devices / DDoS, spam distribution
Mossad / 480K devices / Data exfiltration, network recon Common infection vectors:
Default credentials unchanged from factory settings
Unpatched firmware vulnerabilities
Telnet/SSH exposed to the internet
UPnP misconfigurations allowing remote access How to Check Router audit: Check connected devices for unknown MAC addresses
DNS check: Verify your router is not using unexpected DNS servers
Traffic monitoring: Unusual upload activity may indicate botnet participation
Firmware update: Check manufacturer website for latest firmware Prevention Change default passwords immediately
Disable remote administration
Disable UPnP unless specifically needed
Segment IoT devices to a separate network
Replace end-of-life devices that no longer receive security updates Inspect your DNS with our DNS Inspector. Test for network leaks with our VPN Leak Test.