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# Botnet
- URL: https://www.adlingo.org/glossary/botnet/
- Published: 2026-11-04T02:47:43.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-07T03:59:38.000Z
- Description: A network of internet-connected devices infected with malware and controlled by a remote operator without the owners' knowledge.
- Author: Travis Lusk
- Tags: Measurement, #glossary

Somebody else's army, built out of your neighbors' devices. The operator sends commands and the infected machines obey: load ad calls, fake clicks, [proxy traffic](https://www.adlingo.org/glossary/residential-proxy/), run attacks. Each device has a real IP address and a real household behind it, which is why botnet traffic is hard to spot. When household [CTV](https://www.adlingo.org/glossary/ctv/) impressions spike at hours when nobody is watching TV, this is one of the first places to look.