- Google files major trial with a thing -in
- The trial claims that Google lost money and reputation due to Badbox 2.0
- 25 Named Chinese persons are accused of driving the scheme
Google has sued 25 unidentified Chinese citizens to build and operate the notorious Badbox 2.0 Botnet.
A legal complaint filed by the US Court of Southern District in New York said the defendants created and operated a botnet that infected more than 10 million internet -connected units globally. The devices include TV streaming boxes, tablets, projectors and car infotainment systems that primarily run the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) and not protected by Google Play Protect.
Malware either came pre-installed on devices (through a supply chain attack) or was downloaded via misleading apps, and once infected, the devices are connected to a command-and-control (C2) server that gives the threat actors remote control.
Housing Proxy and Advertising Slaughtering
The 25 people in the complaint allegedly used the botnet to offer housing proxy, commit ad fraud and click fraud. Google says they sold access to infected devices such as Housing Proxy, Hide the Buyer’s Identity and allow them to commit their own crimes – account takeovers, legitimation theft, DDOS attacks and more.
The defendants also used them to generate fake ad impressions and clicks, launch hidden browsers to interact with ad -heavy websites and implement “Evil Twin” apps that mimic legitimate apps, fooling both users and ad platforms.
The ad part is particularly worrying about Google, it seems. The company says it is forced to pay for fake advertising traffic and use resources to investigate and mitigate botnet. It also argues that Botnet undermines confidence in Google’s platform and erodes its reputation, which also leads to less profits down the line.
Unfortunately, the chances of China identifying and handing out these individuals are almost none. The country rarely cooperates with the United States on issues of cyber security, as the two countries are seen as opponents, often trading in cyberspace.
Via Registered
