Let’s cut to the chase, malware bots literally poisoned the well when it comes to bots in general. Many people chose to rely on the preconceived notion that anything bot–related is a red area. And that’s mainly due to the fact that, at some point, many of them fell victim to scams or experienced system crashes during crucial meetings as a result of bot attacks. However, you got to know that there’s a HUGE difference between bot malware and other software bots, such as sneaker bots.
What Are Bots?
Basically, bots are automated software applications that carry out various repetitive tasks autonomously and at an exceptionally high speed. They operate using specific sets of algorithms that programmers create to perform designated tasks, such as copping sneakers.
And just to hit you with today’s fact, although Nike have bad blood with sneaker bots, they’re actually the ones that started them to begin with! Well, accidentally but you get the gist. This being said, you gotta know that there are different types of bots, including social media, ticketing, game, and retail bots. Learn more about them here.
But if we wanna categorize them, these are the safe kind of bots. Meaning that, there are other kinds of bots with the intention of performing some nasty activities without the user’s consent. So, is that what bot malware is about? Let’s find out!
What is a Bot Malware?
So, bot malware- AKA malicious software- is any software or automation tool designed with harmful intent. As in, their main purpose is to harm internet users, businesses, or both. And unlike sneaker bots, malware bots include everything that harms the user rather than help them successfully achieve a certain goal- such as copping sneakers in bulk.
In other words, a malware bot works by sending viruses, trojans, worms, and other harmful programs to your system. And that might damage or infect smart devices or networks, steal sensitive data, or disrupt system operations. It can even execute other harmful activities without the user’s consent. These kinds of bots are often built by cybercriminals. And their sole purpose is to attack and take advantage of weaknesses in businesses and gain unauthorized access.
Malware Bots vs Sneaker Bots
And here comes the main difference between actual sneaker bots and malware bots. In case you don’t know what they are, we’ve got you! Sneaker bots are a kind of bot software developed to automate the process of buying limited-edition sneakers online. Meaning that, their main purpose is to increase the users’ chances to successfully buy the sneakers they want.
Because as you may know, some people make a living out of sneaker reselling. So, buying such sneakers for retail make them some good money on the aftermarket. They also help users buy in bulk, which an ordinary manual botter doesn’t have the chance to accomplish.
All in all, Malware and Sneaker bots are like apples and oranges. They have nothing to do with each other. Now, to learn more about sneaker bots and how botting works, click on the button below!
Types of Bot Malware
We’re in a world where Artificial Intelligence and virtual reality are taking over. Meaning that not only does nearly all of the world have daily access to the internet, but this also means that more people are pretty much advanced in creating whatever type of bot malware that comes to their minds.
And sadly enough, some are putting their skills to use for the sole purpose of harming people and creating malicious bots. Which means that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of every type. But we can categorize some of the most harmful ones into 4 different groups:
– DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) Bots: These kinds of malware software can bring down online services by flooding them with huge amounts of traffic, resulting in delays and financial losses. They frequently serve as tools for attacking websites and internet services.
– Cryptojacking Bots: As the name suggests, these bots hack users’ computer resources in order to mine cryptocurrencies which slows down the computer performance as well as consumes energy greatly.
– Account Takeover Bots: These types of malware bots are used to hack into users’ profile accounts and access private information, such as private messages, and identification and banking details.
– Malicious Scrapers: What these bots do is scan the website for a certain piece of information and then use this same data to harm the website or a certain user on it. They have a strong association with cases where ticketing and tourism offers sell out before real customers even get the chance to make a purchase.
How to Protect Your System Against Malicious Bots
Now that you’ve got an idea of how malware bots work and how harmful they can be, you got to learn how to protect your smart devices against them. Which is critical, especially if you’re a business owner. So, malicious bots are usually downloaded through phishing messages and emails. Additionally, your device can become infected through malicious apps and programs.
Therefore, you always have to stay on the lookout for unusual traffic and user behavior on your site. As well as traffic coming from unusual sources. Meaning that studying site activities should be a priority. However, sometimes fishy activities tend to come from actual users. Your solution? Installing trusted cybersecurity software to handle these tasks efficiently!