Commerce, DHS Release Report on Govt Taking on Botnets

The Commerce Department and the Department of Homeland Security released a joint report detailing ways the federal government can fight against botnets, networks of infected Internet-connected devices that malicious hackers can use, The Hill reported.

Countering botnets is a challenge industry-wide and a global issue, the departments said.

Decreasing the risk of the attacks involves creating a secure technology marketplace, encouraging innovation as the threats evolve, building up coalitions across security, infrastructure, and operational technology communities, and ramping up awareness, and education about the threats, the report said.

The cybersecurity community is largely pleased with the report, which was created with consultation of the Department of Defense, the State Department, the Justice Department, and the FBI, The Hill reported.

The report's release comes after the White House Office of Management and Budget released a report saying roughly ¾ of federal agencies were not equipped to combat cyber attacks.

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