Kimwolf Botnet v7 Enhances DDoS Tactics Using Chrome Fingerprints and Ethereum

The Kimwolf botnet, primarily composed of hijacked Android TV boxes, has been upgraded to version 7, which employs advanced techniques to disguise DDoS attack traffic as legitimate web browsing. Discovered by Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, this version became active on February 3, 2026, and utilizes HTTP/2 to mimic Chrome browser behavior, making it harder for defenses to distinguish between legitimate and malicious traffic. Additionally, the botnet's command infrastructure now leverages the Ethereum Name Service to evade law enforcement takedowns, as it can dynamically change command addresses without being tied to a single domain. The command servers are believed to be located in Russia, complicating efforts to disrupt the botnet. This new iteration of Kimwolf poses a significant threat to online services, as it can overwhelm targets with traffic that appears genuine.

Key Points: • Kimwolf v7 uses HTTP/2 to disguise DDoS traffic as legitimate web requests. • The botnet's command structure now relies on the Ethereum Name Service for resilience against takedowns. • Researchers identified command servers in Russia, complicating mitigation efforts.