The Resurgence of the 911 S5 Botnet
The 911 S5 botnet, notorious for its massive network of over 19 million compromised devices in 2014, is witnessing a troubling resurgence. This botnet, primarily spread through malware in free and illegal game downloads, is back, compromising new devices globally.
What Are Botnets Used For?
Botnets, networks of infected devices, are often used for:
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks: Overloading websites with traffic.
- Spamming: Sending large volumes of unsolicited emails.
- Credential Theft: Harvesting usernames and passwords.
- Click Fraud: Generating fake ad clicks.
Protecting Your Devices
To safeguard against the 911 S5 botnet, the FBI recommends removing VPN applications that contain backdoors.
Common VPNs to Watch Out For:
- MaskVPN (mask_svc.exe)
- DewVPN (dew_svc.exe)
- PaladinVPN (pldsvc.exe)
- ProxyGate (proxygate.exe, cloud.exe)
- ShieldVPN (shieldsvc.exe)
- ShineVPN (shsvc.exe)
How to Identify and Remove These VPNs
- Windows:
- Open Task Manager and look for suspicious processes
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Programs and Features.
- Look for and uninstall any suspicious VPNs.
- Mac:
- Open Finder.
- Go to Applications.
- Drag suspicious VPNs to the Trash and empty it.
For detailed guidance on identifying and removing VPN applications containing 911 S5 backdoors, visit the FBI’s Public Service Page.
Stay vigilant and ensure your devices are protected against these sophisticated threats.
CEO at Tracc Development, Inc.
Paul Bergman runs a business strategy and cybersecurity consulting company in San Diego. He is also CEO of a mentoring non-profit in San Diego, Lamp of Learning. He writes on cybersecurity and board management for both corporate and nonprofit boards.
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