Iranian Botnet Exposed via Open Directory: 15-Node Relay Network and Active C2
Essential information
- Published
- 17/03/2026 15:07
- Modified
- 17/03/2026 19:48
- Tags
- 2026-03-17 botnet c2 censorship bypass ddos iranian mhddos open directory relay network ssh
- Related entities
- 16 observables, 9 techniques (mitre), 1 malware, 15 others
Description
An Iranian threat actor's operational infrastructure was exposed through an open directory, revealing a 15-node relay network spanning Finland and Iran, an SSH-based botnet framework, and an active command and control server. The exposed bash history documented the full operation, including tunnel deployment, DDoS tooling development, and botnet creation. The actor used on-host compilation to evade detection and leveraged a Python script for mass SSH deployment. The botnet client, compiled and renamed 'hex' on infected hosts, showed automatic reconnection capabilities. This operation appears to be financially or personally motivated rather than state-directed, with infrastructure dual-purposed for censorship bypass and attack operations.