Of all the possible types of kidnappings that exist, that of a router is the most unexpected.
According to cybersecurity researchers, more than 14,000 computers are already part of a new malicious network known as KadNap, a botnet designed to go unnoticed even by advanced digital defense systems.
He The main target of this malware is ASUS brand home routersconverted, without their owners knowing it, into intermediaries to execute large-scale attacks.
What is KadNap and why is it so worrying?
The alert has been launched by Lumen Technologies in a recent report that explains how this criminal infrastructure works.
Unlike other traditional botnets, KadNap does not depend on a central server, but on a decentralized “peer-to-peer” architecture, which makes it extremely difficult to locate and dismantle them.
What this design does is that even if a part of the network is detected, the system can continue to function without interruptions.
The router as the main tool
A botnet is created when hackers manage to damage Internet-connected devices (from routers to smart appliances) and connect them together to act as a single network.
In this case, the hijacked devices are mainly used to launch DDoS attacks, a technique that consists of saturating web pages with large amounts of traffic until they crash.
The use of routers adds a key advantage to attackers: the congestion seems to come from normal users browsing the Internet, so Bypassing security filters is much easier.
Do you know if you are affected?
For someone who has been hacked, the signs are virtually invisible. According to researchers, the only detectable signal could be a slight drop in WiFi speed at certain times.
That low level of noise is part of the strategy: the fewer suspicions are raised, the longer that router can remain useful
Have they arrived in Spain?
At the moment not. Most of those infected are in the United States, although cases have also been found in the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Russia and some European countries.
Why this threat marks a new level in cybersecurity
The growth of connected devices has only multiplied the opportunities for these types of attacks. Every poorly protected router, camera or smart device can be a gateway for them.
KadNap not only infects, it hides better, resists more and, Without realizing it, we could become part of a global offensive infrastructure.