Google Sues Operators of a 10M Device Android Set-Top Box Botnet
9 months ago
- #ad-fraud
- #cybersecurity
- #botnet
- Google and cybersecurity partners discovered BadBox, a botnet with 74,000 infected Android devices.
- BadBox 2.0 was identified by HUMAN’s Satori team, involving ad fraud, malware, and DDoS attacks.
- Over one million devices in 222 countries were infected by BadBox 2.0.
- Cheap Chinese set-top boxes were the main infected devices, but others like laptops and smartphones were also affected.
- Google, HUMAN Security, and Trend Micro are combating a new botnet with 10 million infected devices.
- Google filed a lawsuit in New York, targeting unknown defendants believed to be in China.
- Four groups were identified in the BadBox 2.0 operation: Infrastructure, Backdoor Malware, Evil Twin, and Ad Games.
- Google obtained legal permissions to block traffic and seize domains to disrupt the botnet.
- The FBI advises avoiding unofficial app marketplaces and monitoring home networks for suspicious activity.
- Google’s complaint suggests the entire supply chain is compromised, recommending destroying infected devices.