1 Million Third-Party Android Devices Have a Secret Backdoor for Scammers
1 min read
Summary
Researchers have warned that Chinese-made digital devices are coming with secret backdoors allowing them to be used in scams and cybercrime.
These include Android-based TV streaming boxes, tablets, projectors and car infotainment systems, all using the Android open source operating system code, but not Google’s protected ecosystem.
At least one million devices have been found to be infected with malware and controlled as part of a scammer-controlled botnet, mostly for advertising fraud and ingoing proxy services, according to Human Security.
Most of the infected devices are in South America, notably Brazil, and use generic rather than branded names, such as TV98 and X96.
The researchers claim that there are likely to be many more such devices in use, and that the scale of the scam is huge, and unlikely to be eliminated.
Consumers should be vigilant about the possibility of such devices having hidden costs.
