One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet
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TL;DR
- Google discovered that Videostrong Technology, an Android manufacturing partner, secretly built a backdoor into 1.3 million devices, creating a botnet.
- The infected devices were used for malicious purposes including ad fraud, data exfiltration, and unauthorized network traffic routing.
- Videostrong allegedly monetized the backdoor by selling access to criminal affiliates and loading their malware modules.
- The malware was built into many different device models and brands over multiple years, primarily Android TV set-top boxes, but also other IoT devices.
- Google has dismantled the botnet, cut ties with Videostrong, and made changes to its review process for device manufacturers.
- Google estimates that taking down the affiliate C2 domains will sever access to at least 10 million additional compromised devices.