Unverified50% confidenceFactExact time
In 2016, the Mirai botnet used default weak passwords on IoT devices to build a large-scale attack platform.
1
Sources
50%
Confidence
Long-term
Relevance
11/2/2026
First Seen
Sources
Related Entities
Related Claims
VerifiedWhen the Mirai botnet was first documented in 2016, it used a dictionary of default credentials to control more than 600,000 IoT devices and launched DDoS attacks with peak traffic reaching 1.1 Tbps, causing brief outages on platforms including Twitter and Netflix.80% similarUnverifiedThe Mirai botnet, which erupted in 2016, took control of more than 600,000 devices in a short period of time by automatically scanning for devices using factory default passwords.70% similarUnverifiedSecurity incidents including the large-scale cryptocurrency mining attack of 2018 and the Mēris botnet both involved compromised MikroTik routers.69% similarUnverifiedIoT devices are the preferred targets of botnet attacks due to characteristics such as being always online, having streamlined systems that make it difficult to install antivirus software, and manufacturers being slow to push security patches.68% similarVerifiedIn 2016, the Mirai botnet hijacked hundreds of thousands of IoT devices with default passwords and launched what was then the largest DDoS attack, causing widespread internet outages along the US East Coast.67% similar
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