GoKawiilGoogle, Trend Micro and Japan police dismantle 1.3M-device Android TV botnet tied to Videostrong
A coalition including Google Threat Intelligence Group, TrendAI and Japan's National Police Agency disrupted a botnet of more than 1.3 million Android TV boxes and projectors spanning over 200 countries. Google says Shenzhen-based manufacturer Videostrong Technology deliberately built a backdoor called XCPE into device firmware and sold access to criminal affiliates, who installed malware modules to route traffic through unsuspecting owners' home networks. The group also took down command-and-control domains tied to affiliate modules and said it has cut ties with Videostrong, banning it from shipping devices with preloaded Google apps.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The case suggests that cheap, white-label hardware supply chains can be a deliberate vector for large-scale criminal infrastructure rather than just a victim of opportunistic hacking, according to Google's findings. By severing command-and-control domains, the coalition says it may have cut access to roughly 10 million additional devices compromised through the same affiliate ecosystem, hinting at a problem far larger than the initial 1.3 million figure. Google's decision to ban Videostrong from using its certified apps could pressure other low-cost device makers to tighten firmware security practices.
- Over 1.3 million Android TV boxes across 200+ countries were part of a botnet linked to manufacturer Videostrong Technology
- Google says the backdoor, XCPE, was intentionally built into firmware and sold to criminal affiliates for financial gain
- Taking down related command-and-control domains could affect roughly 10 million additional compromised devices, per Google
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro — If this botnet story has you worried about shady off-brand Android TV boxes with hidden backdoors, switching to a reputable streaming device is a smart move. The NVIDIA Shield TV Pro runs official Android TV software with regular security updates from a trusted manufacturer, avoiding the murky firmware supply chain issues described in the article.
See NVIDIA Shield TV Pro on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: it.slashdot.org, 2026-11-03
Published there as: “Cops Bust Botnet of 1.3 Million Android TV Boxes”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.