Who is the Kimwolf Botmaster “Dort”?

The Kimwolf Botmaster: Unmasking Dort

In the world of cybercrime, few individuals have managed to evade detection and capture as effectively as "Dort," the mastermind behind the Kimwolf botnet. This botnet, considered the largest and most disruptive in the world, has been wreaking havoc on computer systems and networks for months, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. But who is Dort, and what drives this individual to engage in such malicious activities?

A Brief History of Dort

Dort's online presence dates back to 2017, when they created a GitHub account under the name "Dort" and the email address "jay.miner232@gmail.com." This account was used to create multiple cybercrime forums, including Nulled and Cracked, where Dort peddled their services as a hacker and developer. One of their notable creations was "Dortware," a software that helped players cheat in the popular game Minecraft.

The Rise of Kimwolf

In 2022, Dort began to focus on more serious crimes, using their skills to develop and deploy the Kimwolf botnet. This botnet was designed to exploit vulnerabilities in residential proxy services, infecting poorly-defended devices such as TV boxes and digital photo frames plugged into internal networks. The Kimwolf botnet was massive, with estimates suggesting it had infected over 1 million devices worldwide.

The Fallout

However, Dort's success was short-lived. In January 2026, a security researcher discovered the vulnerability that Kimwolf was exploiting and notified the affected proxy providers. Within hours, most of the vulnerable proxy providers had fixed the weaknesses in their systems, massively slowing Kimwolf's ability to spread. This led to a flurry of activity from Dort, who created a Discord server in the name of the security researcher, publishing personal information about and violent threats against them.

The Threats and Swatting

Dort's threats were not limited to the security researcher. They also targeted the author of this article, publishing their personal information and threatening a swatting attack. This is a serious crime, where an individual makes a false report to emergency services, claiming that a crime is in progress at a specific location. The goal is to get the police to respond to the scene, often with the intention of putting the person being targeted in harm's way.

The Investigation

As the investigation into Dort's activities continues, it has become clear that Dort is not a single individual, but rather a group of people working together. One of the individuals involved is a person named Jacob Butler, who has been linked to Dort's online activities. Butler has claimed that he is not involved in Dort's activities and that someone must have compromised one or more of his old accounts and is impersonating him online.

The Voice Cloning

However, there are issues with Butler's timeline. The voice of Dort is remarkably similar to Butler's voice, and it has been suggested that someone may have cloned Butler's voice to impersonate him online. This is a serious concern, as voice cloning technology has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years.

The Implications

The Kimwolf botnet and Dort's activities have serious implications for individuals and organizations around the world. The botnet has infected millions of devices, putting sensitive information at risk and causing significant disruption to computer systems and networks. The threats and swatting attacks have also had a significant impact on the individuals targeted, causing fear and anxiety.

The Future

As the investigation into Dort's activities continues, it is clear that the individual or group behind the Kimwolf botnet is a serious threat to individuals and organizations around the world. The use of voice cloning technology to impersonate individuals online is a serious concern, and it is likely that we will see more of this type of activity in the future. It is essential that individuals and organizations take steps to protect themselves from these types of threats, including using robust security measures and being aware of the risks associated with online activity.

Conclusion

The Kimwolf botnet and Dort's activities are a serious reminder of the risks associated with online activity. The use of voice cloning technology to impersonate individuals online is a serious concern, and it is essential that individuals and organizations take steps to protect themselves from these types of threats. As the investigation into Dort's activities continues, it is clear that the individual or group behind the Kimwolf botnet is a serious threat to individuals and organizations around the world.

Source: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/02/who-is-the-kimwolf-botmaster-dort/