The Gayfemboy Botnet- When Playful Code Names Hide Serious Cyber Threats

1. The Gayfemboy Botnet: When Playful Code Names Hide Serious Cyber Threats Once upon a code snippet, something that prints “twinks :3” or “meowmeow” doesn’t sound menacing. But malware authors know that playful or absurd code names, weird, embedded messages, or odd strings can lull defenders into underestimating a threat. The Gayfemboy botnet is one such example. Gayfemboy first surfaced in February 2024, when researchers noticed a Mirai-like botnet quietly compromising devices. Around that time, it had begun leveraging known vulnerabilities and weak credentials to infect a broad range of routers, industrial devices, and smart home appliances. Names like "Gayfemboy" or odd strings in the code might seem like trolling, but they are deliberate. These identifiers can mislead security tools, distract responders, or hide the real technical capability. Ethical hacking teams, web application penetration testing (WAPT) consultants, and cyber incident response team members must treat appearance and name as irrelevant—the real danger is in capabilities, not brand. Rising threat of insider attacks fueled by generative AI.

2. The Evolution of Mirai: From 2016 to Gayfemboy 2024 Mirai didn’t start Gayfemboy, but Gayfemboy wouldn’t exist without Mirai’s legacy. Understanding how Mirai evolved helps us see why modern botnets are more dangerous. Mirai emerged around 2016. Its claim to infamy lay in using default credentials on IoT devices (e.g. routers, cameras) to amass armies of infected devices (bots). These were used to launch huge, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Over time, Mirai’s source code leaked. Many variants sprung up, each with tweaks. Gayfemboy takes what Mirai-ish botnets usually do, then adds new layers: Zero-day exploit usage, not just old flaws. Integration of many known CVEs (N-day vulnerabilities). Wide variety of architectures (ARM, MIPS, x86 etc.). Code changed over time to avoid detection. Process hiding, custom registration packets, playful but telling strings. Many malware authors re-uses code. Copying Mirai’s scanning or credential brute force logic saves time. Then they add new exploits, hiding, or control channels. This re-use speeds up development—but also introduces familiar weaknesses defenders can exploit. When web application penetration testing (WAPT) reviews code, or when ethical hacking exercises include infrastructure, knowing the Mirai family helps predict weaknesses. Gayfemboy shows what happens when reuse is combined with innovation.

3. Technical Analysis of Gayfemboy Gayfemboy is built on a Mirai-derived foundation. It uses modular code: scanning, exploit module, DDoS module, control & update module. It supports multiple architectures of devices and uses packed binaries to evade detection and maintain stealth. Mirai-derived foundation with modern enhancements, including, Modified UPX packing. Standard UPX header replaced with other magic numbers (e.g. “10F00000”, “YTSx99”, “1wom”), to avoid signature detection. Removal or modification of Mirai string tables. Some plaintext strings remain, but they are unexpected and include playful or insulting content. Process hiding: attempts to obfuscate or hide process IDs via writable directories and /proc tricks. Gayfemboy uses the integration of both N-day and 0-day exploits N-day vulnerabilities: vulnerabilities already known and sometimes patched, but many devices remain unpatched. Examples include older router CVEs and smart home device flaws. Zero-day exploits: especially the CVE-2024-12856 in Four-Faith industrial routers, discovered by QiAnXin XLab around November 2024. This allowed remote code injection via unchanged default credentials in certain models. What is it capable of? Multi-platform targeting capabilities (ARM, x86, MIPS architectures) Attack Vector Arsenal Exploit any vulnerability Neterbit router vulnerabilities Vimar smart home device exploits Cisco, TP-Link, DrayTek, and Raisecom routers targeting Weak Telnet credentials exploitation It has an analysis of embedded strings: “twinks :3”, “meowmeow”, and others which are not just “LOL code”. They serve functions to help mark versions, to distinguish C2/campaigns, to confuse some signature-based detection, or to show dominance or identity of the authors. They’re like a signature. Understand Good AI vs Bad AI.

4. Global Impact and Scale Gayfemboy didn’t remain small. It scaled fast. Its geographic spread, campaign patterns, and node count all matter. Here’s a look at its global footprint. February 2024: detection begins. Basic Mirai-style behavior Mid-2024 (April-June): enhancements: modified UPX headers, new registration packet “gayfemboy” November 2024: major expansion via Four-Faith 0-day exploit, targeting industrial routers October–November 2024: peaks in DDoS activity Infected devices were spread across many countries. Top concentrations include China, United States, Russia, Turkey, Iran. Targets of DDoS attacks or incidents also include Germany, UK, Singapore and others. Who’s at Risk? Knowing who is vulnerable helps organisations prepare. Gayfemboy doesn’t discriminate much, but certain actors are more exposed than others. Cryptocurrency mining operations Industrial IoT devices and critical infrastructure Poorly secured home routers and smart devices Manufacturing and industrial control systems Small business networks with default credentials Home users with unpatched smart devices Detection Strategies and Indicators Detecting botnets like Gayfemboy early can reduce harm. You don’t always need full proof of compromise; indicators help. Part of cyber incident response teamwork is spotting anomalies. Here are what to look for. Monitor traffic for unusual patterns: sudden spikes, large outbound traffic, or communication with strange domains. Suspicious traffic patterns to look for Frequent outgoing connections to unknown or external C2 domains Scanning behaviour from internal devices (searching for open ports) Repeated failed login attempts (especially Telnet/SSH)

5. Command and control (C2) communication signatures Watch for hard-coded or previously identified C2 domains from Gayfemboy (e.g. in reported samples). Block or monitor these. If devices try to resolve or connect to suspicious domains, that’s a red flag. DDoS attack fingerprints Short bursts of traffic (10-30 seconds), high volumes (orders of tens or hundreds of Gbps), often targeting external internet links. Possibly UDP/TCP floods, ICMP ping floods. Unusual network activity from IoT devices If a smart device suddenly begins communicating externally at high rates, or making many outbound connections, or scanning other devices, that could indicate infection. Performance degradation signs Devices getting sluggish, overheating, or rebooting often. Users may notice lag, network saturation, or evidence of high CPU load. Log file analysis techniques Review router/syslog or embedded device logs. Look for repeated login attempts, commands running unexpectedly, or new cron jobs. Gayfemboy is known to install cron jobs via Redis exploits. Threat Intelligence Integration Use feeds, advisories from Fortinet, QiAnXin, etc. Keep updated on known CVEs being exploited. Knowing which vulnerabilities are being weaponised helps tighten defenses and patch ahead. IOCs (Indicators of Compromise) to monitor C2 domains, specific binary file hashes, the modified UPX magic numbers, names in code like “twinks :3”, “we gone now\n”. YARA rules and signature-based detection Security teams can write YARA signatures that detect the fake UPX header, the unique strings, or malware modules tied to Gayfemboy. In WAPT engagements, testers can simulate infection to see what those signatures capture. Behavioral analysis approaches Look at device behaviour over time. Even if signatures don’t catch something, anomalies in CPU load, network usage, or process lists might. Premium detection tools often combine signature and behaviour detection.

6. Mitigation and Defense Strategies Once you detect potential infection, or know your risk, getting ahead of Gayfemboy requires both immediate reaction and long-term defence. Organisations should prepare both. Emergency response procedures for infected devices - Isolate infected devices from the network. Remove or clean malware: factory reset if needed. Disconnect internet forwarding or external access from those devices. Cyber incident response team members should have playbooks ready for this. Divide networks so that IoT/industrial devices sit in separate segments. Limit connectivity so infection in one part doesn’t spread. Block known C2 domains in firewalls, DNS filters. Implement ingress/egress filtering. Rate-limit or block suspicious ports (like Telnet) from internet-exposed interfaces. Change admin passwords, disable unused services. Apply firmware patches as soon as vendors release them. Use firewalls to control incoming/outgoing traffic. VPNs for remote access rather than exposing management ports to the internet. Real-time alerting for unusual behaviour, logging, analytics. Use tools that spot deviations—especially in IoT/embedded devices. Don’t assume any internal device is safe. Limit trust. Enforce least privilege. Only allow required communications, especially in critical or industrial networks. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR), intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), as well as threat intelligence feeds that include IoT/embedded device vulnerabilities. Have an incident response (IR) plan specific to malware/botnet threats. Roles defined, communication channels identified, backup/restore procedures, containment steps. Ethical hacking exercises and web application penetration testing (WAPT) reviews can help anticipate attack pathways. Future Outlook: What’s Next? Gayfemboy is more than just a strange name or a meme. It shows how a Mirai variant can evolve into a major threat. It exploits weak credentials, both known and zero-day vulnerabilities, targets many device types and runs globally. Detection, mitigation, and response all matter. Defenders (ethical hacking teams, incident response teams, WAPT practitioners) must stay ahead on intelligence, patching, and monitoring. Attackers will continue to adapt. It’s always a race to anticipate, not just react.

7. Review your devices now. Patch and change defaults. Build detection. Ensure your incident response team is ready. Share indicators, alerts, IOCs with other Australian organisations and internationally. When one company sees a new Gayfemboy C2 domain or exploit, it helps if others know too. Collaboration strengthens collective defence. Get in touch with Cybernetic GI to secure your company’s safety today. Resource https://www.cyberneticgi.com/2025/09/25/when-playful-code-names-hide-serious- cyber-threats/ Contact Us Cybernetic Global Intelligence Address: Waterfront Place, Level 34/1 Eagle St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia Phone: +61 1300 292 376 Email: Contact@cybernetic-gi.com Web : https://www.cyberneticgi.com/