The report from Cisco Talos suggests that the FBI’s law enforcement operation might not have disrupted the QakBot operators’ spam delivery infrastructure. Instead, it appears to have primarily affected their command and control (C2) servers, leaving room for the resurgence of their malicious activities.
This news comes on the heels of an announcement made in late August 2023 by FBI Director Christopher Wray, who disclosed the agency’s efforts in dismantling one of the most extensive and disruptive botnet networks as part of Operation Duck Hunt. Wray highlighted the wide range of victims, including financial institutions, critical infrastructure government contractors, and medical device manufacturers, all targeted by this formidable botnet.
