AISEC > Security News > Malware > Kimwolf Botnet Disrupts I2P Network | Security News
February 11, 2026 #malware Source: Krebs on Security 3 min read · 652 words

Kimwolf Botnet Swamps Anonymity Network I2P

Ботнет Kimwolf затопив мережу анонімності I2P

Kimwolf Botnet Is Currently Wrecking the I2P Anonymity Network

A week of sustained attacks. One botnet. Thousands of disrupted connections.

According to reporting from Krebs on Security, the Kimwolf IoT botnet has been actively using the I2P anonymity network to host its command-and-control infrastructure while systematically evading takedown attempts. This isn't some old threat re-emerging from the dark corners of the internet—this is an active, ongoing cybersecurity incident with real impacts on I2P users right now.

So why does this matter? Because it's yet another case of attackers weaponizing privacy infrastructure against the very people trying to use it. The irony stings.

Breaking It Down

Here's what we know: The Kimwolf botnet, which primarily targets Internet of Things devices, has found a cozy home on I2P—the Invisible Internet Project, a network designed specifically for anonymity and privacy. Instead of using traditional hosting or bulletproof providers, the botnet operators realized they could hide their command-and-control servers within I2P's infrastructure, making them exponentially harder to track and dismantle.

The botnet's been doing this for seven days straight.

Think of it like this: I2P is meant to be a locked door for privacy-conscious users, but Kimwolf kicked it open and set up an illegal operation in the hallway. Now everyone trying to use that door is getting caught in the crossfire.

What makes this particularly frustrating is that takedown attempts haven't stuck. The attackers keep coming back, rotating their infrastructure and adapting faster than the response teams can react. It's a game of cybersecurity whack-a-mole, and right now the moles are winning.

The Technical Side

IoT botnets work by compromising poorly secured devices—routers, cameras, smart home gadgets, industrial equipment—that rarely get patched or monitored. Once infected, these devices become nodes in a distributed network under the attacker's control.

Kimwolf's innovation here? Using I2P as the nervous system connecting all these compromised devices to their command center. I2P traffic is encrypted and routed through multiple relay nodes, making it nearly impossible to simply block or trace the C&C servers through conventional network monitoring. Every connection gets tunneled through layers of obfuscation.

The attackers are leveraging the network's intended privacy properties as a weapon.

Traditional ISP-level takedowns won't work here. You can't just call a hosting provider and shut down an IP address. And even when security researchers identify infected I2P nodes, the botnet's distributed nature means new nodes pop up faster than old ones disappear. It's resilient by design—I2P's design, ironically.

Who's Affected

Anyone actively using I2P right now is experiencing degraded service, increased latency, and connection instability. That includes privacy advocates, security researchers, journalists in restricted regions, and people who just want anonymous browsing.

But there's a secondary victim set: the owners of those compromised IoT devices. Their routers and cameras are part of this botnet whether they know it or not. Most will never realize their hardware's been weaponized.

The thing is, this attack also demonstrates a broader vulnerability in the IoT ecosystem. Millions of devices out there are completely unpatched, using default credentials, and exposed to the internet. Kimwolf didn't need zero-days or sophisticated exploits—it just needed outdated firmware and lazy default passwords.

What To Do Now

If you're an I2P user, understand that your service will be degraded until this resolves. That's just reality for the moment. Keep your I2P software updated and consider avoiding critical operations on the network until stability returns.

For the rest of us: check your IoT devices. Seriously. Change those default passwords on your router, NAS, camera, and any other connected hardware. Check the manufacturer's site for firmware updates. If a device hasn't been updated in over a year and the vendor's abandoned it, consider replacing it.

And if you're in cybersecurity or network defense? This is a signal. Botnets are getting smarter about infrastructure evasion. They're learning that anonymity networks can become operational cover. That's a problem worth thinking about before the next Kimwolf-variant shows up.

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// FAQ

Is my I2P connection safe right now during the Kimwolf attack?

Your connection itself remains encrypted, but the network is experiencing significant disruption and degraded performance. You should avoid sensitive activities until stability is restored.

How do I know if my IoT device is infected with Kimwolf botnet?

Check for unusual network activity, slower device performance, or unexpected bandwidth usage. Most infected devices show no visible signs, so the best defense is immediately changing default passwords and applying firmware updates.

What should I do if I suspect my router is part of this botnet?

Perform a factory reset on your router, change all default credentials to strong passwords, update to the latest firmware, and change your Wi-Fi network password. Contact your ISP if problems persist.

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