As Twitter grapples with the ramifications of exposing its algorithm to the world, the tech community’s focus on botnets and their manipulative tactics has intensified.
Updated Apr 2, 2023 | 11:05 AM IST
Twitter’s Open-Source Reveal Exposes Negative Feedback Loops, Elon Musk Offers Million-Dollar Bounty on Botnet Masters
Steven Tey, a security expert from dub.sh, took to Twitter to reveal the existence of “negative feedback loops” that diminish users’ reputation scores on the platform. Another security researcher, @boriquagato, quoted Steven’s tweet, exposing the malicious tactics employed by botnets and activist armies that target accounts with over 100,000 bots. These cyber menaces add the targeted account to block lists, follow and unfollow en masse, and report and mute in a coordinated attack, ultimately forcing Twitter’s algorithm to “silence” the targeted account.
Elon Musk, never one to shy away from controversy, responded with a challenge to identify those behind the botnets, offering a jaw-dropping million-dollar bounty to anyone who can secure a conviction.
What are Botnets: The Sinister Strings of the Cyber Puppeteers
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 assailants often exploit vulnerabilities in connected devices to infiltrate and control them, wielding them like puppets to advance their malicious agendas.
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 potent weapons in a cybercriminal’s arsenal. In the context of Twitter, botnets can be used to amplify specific messages or silence targeted accounts, manipulating the digital conversation and skewing public opinion.
As Twitter grapples with the ramifications of exposing its algorithm to the world, the tech community’s focus on botnets and their manipulative tactics has intensified. While Elon Musk’s million-dollar bounty might entice some to hunt down these digital puppet masters, the broader implications of these revelations underscore the need for heightened vigilance and robust cybersecurity measures across social media platforms.
Stay tuned for more on this unfolding story, as we delve deeper into the murky world of botnets and explore the wider implications of Twitter’s open-source experiment for internet users and the future of online discourse.
