Wire report
One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet
Google says one of its Android manufacturing partners secretly built a backdoor in 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The company says it has now dismantled the backdoor and "cut ties" with the manufacturer, the Shenzhen, China-based Videostrong Technology Co., which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or […] A current Videostrong Android TV device. Google says one of its Android manufacturing partners secretly built a backdoor in 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The company says it has now dismantled the backdoor and "cut ties" with the manufacturer, the Shenzhen, China-based Videostrong Technology Co., which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or supplying software for them. The infected devices were used without owners' knowledge for "malicious activity," like ad fraud, data exfiltrat
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Google says one of its Android manufacturing partners secretly built a backdoor in 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The company says it has now dismantled the backdoor and "cut ties" with the manufacturer, the Shenzhen, China-based Videostrong Technology Co., which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or […] A current Videostrong Android TV device. Google says one of its Android manufacturing partners secretly built a backdoor in 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The company says it has now dismantled the backdoor and "cut ties" with the manufacturer, the Shenzhen, China-based Videostrong Technology Co., which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or supplying software for them. The infected devices were used without owners' knowledge for "malicious activity," like ad fraud, data exfiltrat
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According to The Verge’s source item, One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet, Google says one of its Android manufacturing partners secretly built a backdoor in 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The company says it has now dismantled the backdoor and “cut ties” with the manufacturer, the Shenzhen, China-based Videostrong Technology Co., which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or […] A current Videostrong Android TV device. Google says one of its Android manufacturing partners secretly built a backdoor in 1.3 million devices and turned them into a botnet. The company says it has now dismantled the backdoor and “cut ties” with the manufacturer, the Shenzhen, China-based Videostrong Technology Co., which has been banned from building or selling certified Android devices or supplying software for them. The infected devices were used without owners’ knowledge for “malicious activity,” like ad fraud, data exfiltrat
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Technology file for readers following technology, science, product policy, markets, infrastructure, and the public consequences of innovation. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-11-02T20:37:49+00:00.
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Source
Primary source: One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet via The Verge. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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- One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnetThe Verge - 2026-11-02T20:37:49+00:00
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