22/07/2025
10 milioane de device-uri afecate!
A malware known as a “BadBox 2.0” has spread to infiltrate over 10 million Android devices, including TV streaming devices, tablets and digital projectors, according to Google.
Thankfully, Google is working to crack down on the threat, which operates as a botnet or an army of infected devices. On Thursday, the company revealed it’s filed a lawsuit in New York to try and shut down the “criminal enterprise.”
“This botnet —called the ‘BadBox 2.0’ botnet— is already the largest known botnet of internet-connected TV devices, and it grows each day,” Google said in a court document. “Without warning, it could be used to commit more dangerous cybercrimes, such as ransomware or distributed denial-of-service (‘DDoS’) attacks.”
The threat is spreading via low-cost, no-name Android devices manufactured in China. In some cases, the malware will be preinstalled. In others, BadBox will download as Trojanized apps during the setup process through unofficial app stores. The hackers can then sell access to the infected devices to other cybercriminals, giving them a launching pad to conduct hacking activities in the US and other countries.
Google’s lawsuit identifies some of the affected product models, which include Android TV boxes with the model numbers X88 Pro 10, T95, MXQ Pro and QPLOVE Q9, among others. (Human Security has also published a more comprehensive list.)
Google’s lawsuit alleges the hackers behind BadBox 2.0 are based in China and span at least 25 individuals or entities. Although the identities of the hackers remains unknown, the company is requesting the New York court grant it the legal power to help it shut down the botnet. This includes asking the judge for a "permanent injunction” to force any internet services tied to the BadBox malware to cease such operations.
For more, head to PCMag
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-this-malware-has-spread-to-over-10-million-android-devices