Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR Google has taken down what it believes to be the world’s largest residential proxy network.
These networks allow bad actors to route their internet traffic through your phone, making it look like they’re browsing from your device instead of their own.
Millions of Android devices have now been removed from this shady network.
Google says it has shut down a massive, invisible network that quietly used everyday phones, computers, and smart devices as rented internet gateways.
The company used a US federal court order to take down dozens of websites and backend systems belonging to a firm called Ipidea. Google says the China-based firm operates what it believes to be the world’s largest “residential proxy network.” In simple terms, these networks allow bad actors to route their internet traffic through your phone, making it look like they’re browsing from your device instead of their own.
The Wall Street Journal describes it as an Airbnb for your phone’s internet, except that in this case, you, the host, never knowingly signed up for the service.
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Most people end up on Ipidea’s network by installing free apps, games, or desktop software that secretly include proxy code. Once that happens, someone else can route their internet traffic through your device, potentially using your IP address to hide shady or even criminal activity.
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