Researchers are tracking a new botnet dubbed "FreakOut" that's targeting vulnerabilities in Linux systems. Botnet operators have been mass-scanning for vulnerable Linux devices, and the command-and-control server associated with FreakOut has now targeted several hundred vulnerable devices.
The goal behind the botnet's attacks, researchers say, is to create an IRC botnet - a collection of machines infected with malware that can be remotely controlled - that then can be used for malicious activities, such as launching distributed denial-of-service attacks or cryptomining (see: Monero Mining Botnet Targets PostgreSQL Database Servers ).
The FreakOut botnet is targeting Linux-based systems that include the TerraMaster operating system, which manages TerraMaster network-attached storage servers; the Zend framework, designed to build web application services using PHP; and Liferay Portal, a web application platform that enables users to create portals and websites.
