Google disrupts 1.3 million-device Android botnet with Videostrong backdoor
Original title: Google Disrupts 1.3 Million-Device Android Botnet, Says TV Box Maker Sold Criminal Access
Google and partners took down a botnet of 1.3 million Android TV boxes containing a persistent backdoor sold by device maker Videostrong.
Google disrupted a botnet of over 1.3 million Android devices, primarily set-top boxes, in late October. The operation targeted malware families loaded through a backdoor called x.cpe built into the firmware by Shenzhen-based Videostrong. The backdoor allowed operators to install additional malware, turn boxes into proxies and sell ad fraud. The action also cut off access for criminals behind related malware to at least 10 million more devices. Videostrong has been banned from Android certification.
- 1.47 million infected devices tracked by TrendAI across 206 models
- Backdoor still present in firmware and requires vendor action to remove
- Affected regions include Malaysia, Brazil and the US
Impact: ad fraud and proxy services via backdoored devices
- 1.Factory reset or replace infected devices
- 2.Block control domains and IPs listed by Synthient
- Vendors
- Videostrong
- Products
- Android TV boxes
- Countries
- China
From the original article
4 min read at thehackernews.com
A botnet of more than 1. 3 million Android devices, mostly TV set-top boxes, lost control of its servers in late October in a takedown led by Google. Google says it is highly confident that device maker Videostrong intentionally put a backdoor in the boxes and sold access to criminals.
thehackernews.com
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