Researchers Uncover Latest P2PINFECT Botnet Threat

In the digital world, a team of experts from Cado Security Labs recently discovered a stronger version of a troubling cyber threat known as the P2Pinfect botnet. This sneaky software goes after routers, smart devices and other tech gadgets, especially those using a Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipelined Stages (MIPS) architecture.

What makes this botnet scarier is its ability to dodge detection. It is like a cyber ninja that can slip past Virtual Machines (VM) and avoid debuggers. Plus, it is good at hiding its tracks on Linux computers.

The P2Pinfect story started in July 2023 when another group found a bug that attacked Redis servers on both Linux and Windows systems. This bug, written in a programming language called Rust, was like a ninja with a perfect score of 10.0. It could sneak into Redis servers on different operating systems.

Fast forward to September, and Cado Security Labs noticed a massive 600-times increase in P2Pinfect activity. It is like the cyber bad guys hit the turbo button, causing a 12.3% spike in just one week.

But here is the twist. The experts found a new version of P2Pinfect that specifically goes after smaller gadgets with 32-bit MIPS processors. These are like the mini-brains in routers and smart devices. The bug tries to break into them by guessing passwords.

The strange part is that it also likes to mess with something called Redis servers on these gadgets. The experts are scratching their heads because they are not sure why anyone would do this. But if they succeed, these mini-brains could become launching pads for more attacks.

To make matters trickier, the bug tries to cover its tracks by disabling certain features on computers. It is like the cyber bad guys are playing hide and seek.