A profile of Benjamin Brundage, a 22-year-old college senior who helped uncover the Kimwolf botnet, which launched 26,000+ DDoS attacks targeting 8,000+ victims

A wave of brutal DDoS attacks had seasoned internet security experts stumped. Enter Benjamin Brundage, a 22-year-old college senior with a knack for digital detective work.

Brundage helped uncover the Kimwolf botnet — a sprawling operation responsible for launching more than 26,000 DDoS attacks against over 8,000 victims. The scale is staggering.

The Wall Street Journal profiled Brundage, detailing how his investigative techniques contributed to cracking a mystery that had baffled professionals in the field. While not working alone, his role proved instrumental in piecing together the botnet's infrastructure and attack patterns.

It's a reminder that serious cybersecurity talent doesn't always come with a corner office or a decade of experience. Sometimes it's a college kid with a few clever tricks up their sleeve.