Combating Botnets Using the Cisco ASA Botnet Traffic Filter

This paper discusses the nature of botnets, the threats they pose to today's networks, and how the Cisco Botnet Traffic Filter enables Cisco ASA appliances to fight botnets and to handle their dynamic nature. A botnet is a collection of autonomous software robots (bots), typically malicious in nature, that operate as a network of compromised computers. An originator, also known as a "Bot Herder," typically controls the bots, and can launch them at will, using command and control communication between the controller and the bots. Hackers typically use botnets as a way of gaining access to large distributed resources of computing power. The owner of a botnet determines which users are allowed to access their botnet. It is a common practice to even sell access to the botnet.