The Mirai malware primarily targets Internet of Things (IoT) devices with weak or default credentials. Once infected, these devices become part of a botnet that the attacker controls remotely. The primary use of Mirai botnets is to perform Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
DDoS attacks flood a target (server, application, or network) with massive traffic, overwhelming resources and causing service outages.
Mirai gained infamy after being used in large-scale DDoS attacks, including against DNS provider Dyn, which caused widespread internet outages.
Incorrect Options:
A. MITM attacks involve intercepting communications.
B. Birthday attacks are cryptographic hash collision techniques.
D. Password attacks refer to credential brute-forcing; although Mirai uses default credentials, its main attack vector is DDoS.
Reference – CEH v13 Official Courseware:
Module 18: IoT and OT Hacking
Section: “IoT Malware”
Subsection: “Mirai Botnet and Real-World Attacks”
CEH Engage: IoT Botnet Simulation
=
