Retaliatory Attacks Escalate as Mystery Botmaster 'Dort' Targets Kimwolf Exposers
KrebsOnSecurity investigates the operator 'Dort' behind the massive Kimwolf botnet after a string of personal retaliatory attacks including swatting a security researcher.
In early January 2026, a security researcher disclosed a vulnerability that enabled the creation of Kimwolf, described as the world's largest and most disruptive botnet. KrebsOnSecurity reports that the botnet's controller, operating under the handle "Dort," responded with coordinated DDoS attacks, doxing, email flooding, and most recently by sending a SWAT team to the researcher's home, with attacks also aimed at the site's author. The latest post examines publicly available information about Dort's identity. Source: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/02/who-is-the-kimwolf-botmaster-dort/
SENTINEL: This shows online criminals are now willing to cross into real-life harassment and danger against the people who expose them, which could scare off everyday researchers and leave regular folks more exposed to the hidden threats running on their own devices.
Sources (1)
- [1]Who is the Kimwolf Botmaster “Dort”?(https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/02/who-is-the-kimwolf-botmaster-dort/)