Botnets, Cybercrime and National Security

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter will address how botnet infrastructure could be exploited for national security and cybercrime purposes. Cyber threats, including botnets, represent a fast developing international issue that is facilitated by the low awareness of end-users, by differences in national legal and policy approaches to cyber security and by the lack of attention to security in companies providing Internet services. Botnets are used for reaping economic gains by criminals as well as for politically motivated activities. Although many efforts have been made recently in mitigating botnets, they will be likely to re-emerge at the new level of sophistication and organisation. Also, botnet activity will move away from developed countries and spread further in emerging markets and in developing countries. The following study approaches the subject as a public policy issue and will analyse the phenomenon of botnets from national security, law enforcement and regulatory policy perspective. It will also offer recommendations for policy-makers on different public policy responses to effectively fight botnets, and highlights the need for international response mechanisms. In order to successfully address cyber threats, law enforcement capacity building and criminal justice should be strengthened globally, with a special focus on fast growing emerging economies.KeywordsInternet Service ProviderDomain Name SystemIncident ResponseFuture ConflictCapacity Building EffortThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.