Google and partners dismantle XCPE botnet spanning 1.3 million devices
The network consisted mostly of Android TV boxes used for advertising fraud and routing strangers’ internet traffic through owners’ connections. Google says manufacturer Videostrong deliberately installed a backdoor and sold criminals access. The company has cut ties with Videostrong and banned it from making or selling certified Android devices.
- The takedown occurred in late October, according to The Hacker News.
- The operation evaded Google’s security tests for years, according to CyberScoop.
Covered by 20 publishers within 46 hours of the first report.
- The Hacker News: Google Disrupts 1.3 Million-Device Android Botnet, Says TV Box Maker Sold Criminal Access
- Latest Tom's Hardware: Certified Android TV manufacturer put unauthorized backdoor in 1.3 million set-top boxes, Google reveals — OEM sold access to criminal affiliates, used massive network as botnet for ad fraud, residential proxy
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The Hacker News Google Disrupts 1.3 Million-Device Android Botnet, Says TV Box Maker Sold Criminal Access · info@thehackernews.com (The Hacker News)
RuntimeWire Google and partners dismantle XCPE botnet hidden in 1.3 million TV boxes · Ryan Merket
BleepingComputer Google disrupts million-device XCPE Android malware botnet, bans TV box maker · Lawrence Abrams
9to5Google Google shuts down a sneaky malware backdoor on millions of Android TV and Google TV boxes · Ben Schoon
The Verge One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet · Stevie Bonifield
CyberScoop Google shuts down global botnet running on certified Android devices · Matt Kapko
Android Headlines Millions of Android TV devices were infected with a malware backdoor · Justin Diaz
Krebs on Security Tech Firms Dismantle Botnet That Turned 1.3M TV Boxes Into Proxies · BrianKrebs
Cyber Security News Google Dismantles 1.3 Million Device XCPE Botnet, Bans Android TV Maker Over Preinstalled Malware · Guru Baran
SecurityWeek Google Dismantles XCPE Botnet of 1.3 Million Android Devices · Ionut Arghire
Security Affairs Inside XCPE, the botnet that turned set-top boxes into proxy servers · Pierluigi Paganini
TechRadar Google leads takedown of massive XCPE malware botnet made of more than 1.3 million Android TV streaming boxes — and claims the items were intentionally set up for criminal access · Sead Fadilpašić
Implicator.ai Preloaded: Google Says TV Boxes Shipped with a Backdoor · Marcus Schuler
Android Central Google takes down a massive Android TV botnet, but infected devices remain dangerous · Jay Bonggolto
Neowin Google bans Android TV maker for secretly installing malware on millions of devices · Pradeep Viswanathan
Ars Technica Google dismantles botnet secretly running on 1.3 million Android TV boxes · Ryan Whitwam
iPhone in Canada Google Just Severed a Massive Botnet Infecting 1.3 Million Smart TVs · Usman Qureshi
Tom's Hardware Certified Android TV manufacturer put unauthorized backdoor in 1.3 million set-top boxes, Google reveals — OEM sold access to criminal affiliates, used massive network as botnet for ad fraud, residential proxy · Jowi Morales
The Next Web Google says a certified partner turned 1.3M Android TV boxes into a botnet · Ana Maria Constantin