US and Allies Dismantle Major IoT Botnets Behind Record DDoS Attacks

On March 20, 2026, the U.S. Justice Department, in collaboration with law enforcement from Canada and Germany, announced the dismantling of four significant botnets: Aisuru, KimWolf, JackSkid, and Mossad. These botnets collectively hijacked over 3 million Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including webcams, digital video recorders, and Wi-Fi routers, to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Some attacks peaked at record-breaking rates of 30 terabits per second, targeting various entities, including the Department of Defense's information network. The botnets operated under a 'cybercrime-as-a-service' model, allowing other criminals to rent access to the compromised devices for launching attacks. Victims reported losses amounting to tens of thousands of dollars due to these attacks. The operation involved seizing multiple U.S.-registered internet domains and virtual servers used by the botnets. Authorities emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating cybercrime. The current status indicates that the botnets' infrastructure has been disrupted, but no arrests have been reported yet.

Key Points: • Four botnets, Aisuru, KimWolf, JackSkid, and Mossad, infected over 3 million IoT devices. • DDoS attacks from these botnets peaked at 30 terabits per second, targeting global entities. • The operation was a collaborative effort involving U.S., Canadian, and German law enforcement.