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, 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 impressions spike at hours when nobody is watching TV, this is one of the first places to look.
Ad tech glossary
Botnet
Technical definition
A network of internet-connected devices infected with malware and controlled by a remote operator without the owners' knowledge.
The ADLINGO translation
Get the full Mega Glossary as a PDF
Nearly 200 ad tech terms, translated. Plus the ADLINGO newsletter to your inbox. Free.
Where this shows up
Could Bill Gates daughter face prison time for cookie stuffing?
Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, is in the press lately for an alleged "Cookie stuffing" operation. If charged and convicted, penalties could include actual jail time. Do you know how it works?
But the ads served, right?
Brands have a massive gap in understanding what their technology vendors are actually solving on their behalf and what the definition of "paid for" actually means.
News: Brand's $4 Billion Blindspot
Despite the myths, news environments prove to be high-return and brand-safe. With performance upwards of 8.5x higher, avoiding news media might be the most misguided marketing myth yet.