The notorious Mozi malware botnet, which had posed a significant threat since its emergence in 2019, experienced a sudden decline in activity during August. On September 27, 2023, an unknown actor triggered a kill switch, effectively deactivating all the compromised bots. Mozi primarily focused on exploiting vulnerabilities or weak default passwords in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including routers, digital video recorders, and various connected gadgets, assimilating them into its decentralized peer-to-peer network using BitTorrent's DHT protocol. The decline in Mozi's operations initially became apparent on August 8, 2023, with a complete halt in activity in India. Subsequently, on August 16, 2023, the botnet's operations in China, its country of origin, also came to an abrupt halt. Then, on September 27, 2023, a series of UDP messages were dispatched to all Mozi bots, instructing them to download an update via HTTP. This update triggered a sequence of actions, including the termination of the Mozi malware process, the disabling of specific system services, the replacement of the Mozi file, the execution of device configuration commands, the blocking of access to various ports, and the establishment of a foothold for the new file. Notably, the entity responsible for the kill switch opted to maintain persistence for the new payload, which could communicate with a remote server for tracking, suggesting a controlled takedown. ESET conducted a code analysis, revealing notable similarities between the original Mozi code and the binaries used in the takedown. These binaries also featured the correct private keys for signing the payload, raising questions about potential involvement from either the original botnet creators or Chinese law enforcement in the takedown. Nevertheless, these inquiries remain unanswered. While the deactivation of the Mozi botnet is a positive development, there are numerous other DDoS malware botnets actively scanning the internet daily for vulnerable IoT devices. Therefore, it is essential for users to keep their devices updated with the latest firmware, use strong passwords, and isolate them from critical networks to bolster security.
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