: a network of computers that have been linked together by malware : a network of bots (see bot entry 1 sense 2b)
Criminals link hijacked personal computers together to form "botnets"—clusters of infected PCs that spammers can control from anywhere in the world.—
Dave Mosher
Dave MosherExamples of botnet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Domains are also used for spear phishing or botnets.
—Ken Carnesi, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
The All About IoT Security six-course program covers malware and botnets, network monitoring, setting up testbeds, and applying blockchain technology.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for botnet 
Ken Carnesi, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
The All About IoT Security six-course program covers malware and botnets, network monitoring, setting up testbeds, and applying blockchain technology.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for botnet
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'botnet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Botnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/botnet. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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