WASHINGTON – The Council to Secure the Digital Economy (CSDE), led by USTelecom and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), today published – in partnership with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™ – the 2018 International Anti-Botnet Guide, a comprehensive set of practices to protect the global digital ecosystem from the threat of botnets and other automated distributed attacks.

Botnets are large networks of compromised devices under the control of malicious actors whose goals can range from criminal activity to cyberattacks against nation states. Compromised devices may include any product that connects to the internet, not just computers but also Internet of Things (IoT) devices like web-connected cameras, WiFi printers, routers, and other products. Attacks include distributed denial of service (DDoS), ransomware, phishing, disinformation campaigns amplifying inauthentic social media, and other malicious acts.

Jonathan Spalter, President and CEO, USTelecom; Dean Garfield, President and CEO, ITI; and Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, CTA; said: “Our member companies span the global internet and communications ecosystem, providing the infrastructure, software and devices that power the digital economy. We know firsthand the threat that malicious botnets pose to consumers, governments and businesses. Effective and sustained cybersecurity requires public-private partnerships and cross-sector cooperation on a global scale. CSDE is stepping up to help secure our connected networks and this new report provides valuable and actionable solutions to immediately mitigate the current botnet threat.”

The guide offers specific solutions for private and public managers and engineers representing the IoT sectors, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), data centers, software developers, device manufacturers and system installers to protect against the botnet threat and mitigate potential attacks. Because botnet attacks are often international in nature, the guide offers global solutions for governments and companies.

The 2018 International Anti-Botnet Guide advances these core principles:

  • Security demands dynamic, flexible solutions that are driven by powerful global market forces and are as nimble and adaptable as the cyber threats that need to be mitigated, rather than regulatory compliance mechanisms that differ by local or national jurisdiction;
  • Security is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders in the information technology and communications ecosystem. Government and industry stakeholders should promote solutions that increase responsibilities among all players, rather than seeking overly simplistic solutions targeting certain select components or stakeholders;
  • Security relies on mutually beneficial teamwork and partnership among governments, suppliers, providers, researchers, enterprises, and consumers, through collective action against bad actors and rewards for the contributions of responsible actors.

CSDE’s 2018 International Anti-Botnet Guide is available HERE.

About the Council to Secure the Digital Economy (CSDE):

CSDE brings together companies from across the information technology and communications sectors to combat increasingly sophisticated and emerging cyber threats through collaborative actions. For more information visit: www.securingdigitaleconomy.org