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ZombieCoin 2.0 : managing next-generation botnets using Bitcoin
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Ali, Syed Taha, McCorry, Patrick, Lee, Peter Hyun-Jeen and Hao, Feng (2018) ZombieCoin 2.0 : managing next-generation botnets using Bitcoin. International Journal of Information Security, 17 (4). pp. 411-422. doi:10.1007/s10207-017-0379-8 ISSN 1615-5262.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10207-017-0379-8
Abstract
Botnets are the preeminent source of online crime and arguably one of the greatest threats to the Internet infrastructure. In this paper, we present ZombieCoin, a botnet command-and-control (C&C) mechanism that leverages the Bitcoin network. ZombieCoin offers considerable advantages over existing C&C techniques, most notably the fact that Bitcoin is designed to resist the very same takedown campaigns and regulatory processes that are the most often-used methods to combat botnets today. Furthermore, we describe how the Bitcoin network enables novel C&C techniques, which dramatically expand the scope of this threat, including the possibilities of flexible rendezvous scheduling, efficient botnet partitioning, and fine-grained control over bots. We validate our claims by implementing ZombieCoin bots which we then deploy and successfully control over the Bitcoin network. Our findings lead us to believe that Bitcoin-based C&C mechanisms are a highly desirable option that botmasters will pursue in the near future. We hope our study provides a useful first step towards devising effective countermeasures for this threat.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||
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Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Computer Science | ||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | International Journal of Information Security | ||||||
Publisher: | Springer | ||||||
ISSN: | 1615-5262 | ||||||
Official Date: | August 2018 | ||||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | 17 | ||||||
Number: | 4 | ||||||
Page Range: | pp. 411-422 | ||||||
DOI: | 10.1007/s10207-017-0379-8 | ||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access |
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