Google Disrupts 1.3 Million-Device Android Botnet, Says TV Box Maker Sold Criminal Access

Google led a takedown of a large Android botnet in late October, disrupting control of over 1.3 million devices, primarily TV set-top boxes. The devices were mostly used for TV boxes, and the botnet was used for ad fraud and to redirect internet traffic through owners' home connections. Google believes that the device manufacturer, Videostrong, intentionally included a backdoor in the devices and sold access to criminal parties. This backdoor allowed criminals to exploit the devices for their own gain. The takedown resulted in the botnet losing control of its servers. The devices were compromised and used to commit fraudulent activities without the owners' knowledge.