It is important to note that under various international laws, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in the U.S. Engaging in these marketplaces also poses a severe security risk to the buyer, as these platforms are frequently monitored by law enforcement and "sellers" often distribute backdoored software to infect the buyers themselves.
: Elite, invite-only forums (such as XSS or Exploit.in) serve as higher-tier markets where sophisticated botnet source codes (like Mirai or its variants) are traded among more experienced threat actors. Types of Botnet "Products" Buyers typically look for one of three things: where to buy a botnet
: Buyers pay for their malware to be installed on a set number of already infected devices (e.g., $100 for 1,000 "installs" in a specific geographic region). It is important to note that under various
: Users pay a subscription fee to use a botnet’s power for short-term Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against specific targets. Types of Botnet "Products" Buyers typically look for
The cost of a botnet varies significantly based on several "quality" metrics:
: High-bandwidth servers or IoT devices (like smart cameras and routers) are often more valuable for DDoS attacks than standard home PCs.