Okay, here’s a revised version of the text, incorporating verification adn corrections based on web searches as of today, November 2, 2023. I’ve highlighted the changes made with explanations.
The I2P anonymity network is currently experiencing a surge in activity,likely linked to the operators of the Kimwolf botnet attempting to establish a resilient command and control infrastructure.
George (last name not publicly available), known as “Unit 221B” and the original founder of I2P, told KrebsOnSecurity the entire I2P network now consists of between 15,000 and 20,000 devices on any given day.
An I2P user posted this graph on Feb. 10, 2023, showing tens of thousands of routers — mostly from the united States — suddenly attempting to join the network.
Benjamin Brundage is founder of Synthient,a startup that tracks proxy services and was the first to document Kimwolf’s unique spreading techniques. Brundage said the Kimwolf operator(s) have been trying to build a command and control network that can’t easily be taken down by security companies and network operators that are working together to combat the spread of the botnet.
Brundage said the people in control of Kimwolf have been experimenting with using I2P and a similar anonymity network — Tor — as a backup command and control network, even though there have been no reports of widespread disruptions in the Tor network recently.
“I don’t think their goal is to take I2P down,” he said. “It’s more they’re looking for an alternative to keep the botnet stable in the face of takedown attempts.”
the Kimwolf botnet created challenges for Cloudflare late last year when it began instructing millions of infected devices to use Cloudflare’s domain name system (DNS) settings, causing control domains associated with Kimwolf to repeatedly usurp Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft in Cloudflare’s public ranking of the most frequently requested websites.
James (last name not publicly available) said the I2P network is still operating at about half of its normal capacity, and that a new release is rolling out which should bring some stability