SSHStalker: A deep dive into the new IRC-controlled Linux botnet infecting thousands of servers

In early 2026, cybersecurity researchers uncovered a stealthy Linux botnet operation that has infected nearly 7,000 servers worldwide — not with advanced AI or zero-day exploits — but by resurrecting old-school techniques: SSH brute-force compromise, decade-old Linux vulnerabilities, and text-based IRC (Internet Relay Chat) command-and-control (C2) communication. Dubbed SSHStalker, this campaign staggering in scale highlights