Kimwolf DDoS Botnet Operator Arrested in Canada Over DDoS-for-Hire Attacks

Source Domain: thehackernews.com

Summary of Article on U.S. Department of Justice Arrest:
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the arrest of 23-year-old Canadian man Jacob Butler, also known as Dort, on charges of developing and operating a DDoS botnet named Kimwolf. This botnet, related to the AISURU family, targeted Android devices with exposed Android Debug Bridge service, employing a cybercrime-as-a-service model to rent infected devices for DDoS attacks. The infrastructure behind Kimwolf was seized two months prior, but Butler remains on the hook for charges including aiding and abetting computer intrusion, with a potential 10-year prison sentence if found guilty. The takedown of Kimwolf and other botnets included crippling DDoS attacks that reached 31.4 Terabits per second—one of record magnitudes. The law enforcement operation not only dismantled Butler’s Kimwolf botnet but also seized several others through partnerships with Canada and Germany.

Key Points:

Jacob Butler has been arrested by the Department of Justice for running the Kimwolf DDoS botnet.
Kimwolf infected Android devices with exposed ADB services and leased them for DDoS attacks.
The botnet’s infrastructure was previously dismantled in a cooperative law enforcement operation with Canada and Germany.
Butler faces charges of aiding and abetting computer intrusion; he could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The seized botnets were responsible for record-setting DDoS attacks, including one reaching 31.4 Tbps.