Botnet command and control techniques

Botnets are becoming more sophisticated to circumvent network defences from duping users into installing malware onto their systems. The ongoing battle with anti-virus organizations, it is interesting to see digitally-signed software being used by the criminal community to protect their investments. The bot herder will assist the customer in carrying out the attacks or provide documentation to allow them to control portions of the botnet. The techniques are supposed to protect legitimate software are being taken up to protect illegitimate software. Further developments resulted in bots are being instructed to contact and infect other hosts.