MoBots: A new generation of botnets on mobile devices and networks

Mobile devices are now well integrated with advanced capabilities and technologies such as the Internet. Today, mobile security has become a globally critical issue due to the high usage of mobile devices, their convenience and mobility. However, they are not properly protected compared to computer and computer networks, and the users pay less attention to the security updates. Recently, mobile devices and networks have been targeted by one of the most dangerous cyber threats, known as botnets. Mobile botnets have not yet been fully explored as they have only recently migrated to mobile infrastructures. Therefore, in this paper, we present an overview of mobile botnets including studies on the new command and control mechanisms, actual examples and malicious activities. We also review the current challenges and limitations of botnet detection in mobile environments, as well as existing solutions.