Elon Musk Offers Million-Dollar Bounty on Botnet Masters

In a bold move led by Elon Musk, Twitter recently opened up its source code and recommendation algorithm, exposing the inner workings of the popular microblogging platform.

As security experts from around the world dig into the digital treasure trove, shocking revelations are coming to the fore.

Steven Tee, a security expert at dub.sh, took to Twitter to reveal the existence of a “negative feedback loop” that lowers users’ reputation scores on the platform.

Another security researcher, @boriquagato, cited Steven’s tweet to highlight the malicious tactics employed by botnets and activist armies that target accounts with more than 100,000 bots.

These cyberthreats add targeted accounts to block lists, collectively follow and unfollow, and report and mute in a coordinated attack, eventually forcing Twitter’s algorithms to “silence” the targeted account.

Elon Musk, never one to shy away from controversy, responded with a challenge to identify those behind the botnet, offering a jaw-dropping million-dollar reward to anyone who can believe it.

Botnets, networks of compromised computers and devices, are controlled by cybercriminals and used to launch large-scale attacks on individuals, websites, and organizations.

These digital attackers often exploit vulnerabilities in connected devices to infiltrate and control them, using them as puppets to further their malicious agenda.

From Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks that overwhelm and shut down websites, to spam campaigns and data theft, botnets have become one of the most powerful weapons in the cyber criminal’s arsenal.

In the context of Twitter, botnets can be used to amplify specific messages or silence targeted accounts, manipulate the digital conversation, and skew public opinion.

As Twitter grapples with the ramifications of exposing its algorithms to the world, the tech community’s focus is on botnets and their manipulative tactics.

While Elon Musk’s million-dollar bounty may entice some to hunt down these digital puppet masters, the wider implications of these revelations underscore the need for vigilance and stronger cyber security measures across social media platforms.

Source: TimesNowNews

Read More:

Leave a Comment