A botnet is a group of internet-connected devices that are controlled by a single individual or group, often without the knowledge or consent of the device owners. These devices can be used to launch a variety of malicious attacks, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, spam campaigns, and data theft. Botnet malware is the software that is used to infect devices and turn them into part of a botnet.

A loader is malicious software that infiltrates devices to deliver malicious payloads. This malware is capable of infecting victims’ computers, analyzing their system information, and installing other types of threats, such as trojans or stealers. Criminals usually deliver loaders through phishing emails and links by relying on social engineering to trick users into downloading and running their executables. Loaders employ advanced evasion and persistence tactics to avoid detection.

Mirai is a self-propagating malware that scans the internet for vulnerable IoT devices and infects them to create a botnet. Mirai variants utilize lists of common default credentials to gain access to devices. Mirai's primary use is for launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, but it has also been used for cryptocurrency mining.