united-states hacking
Would a botnet be illegal, even if the terms of service state everything it will be used for (assumming that all uses will be legal)
<p>Basically the title. Will a botnet be illegal, even if users consent to everything the botnet will do, and everything the botnet does is legal? (In the US, Colorado)</p>

<p>&quot;Botnet&quot; refers to an illicit collection of remotely-controlled computers taking commands from a C2 (Command and Control server) and is thus by definition always illegal. However, there is no law against releasing or using software which accepts commands of various types from a central server, and this is quite common for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_access_tool" rel="nofollow noreferrer">remote access tools</a>, as long as the user consents. It is only called a botnet if the users do not consent to its presence. If they do consent, it's not a botnet.</p>
<p>One example is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DarkComet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DarkComet</a>, which includes features such as remote file editing, screen viewing, and keylogging. All of these features have legitimate uses, and a network of computers controlled with this software would not be considered a botnet unless it was <em>created illegally</em> in the first place.</p>
<p>It's like the term &quot;battery&quot;. Battery is <em>never</em> legal, but that doesn't mean that boxers are breaking the law by participating in that sport and punching each other. If you consent to being punched, then it's not battery. Likewise if you consent to running a remote access tool, it's not a botnet.</p>
