Google Bans Videostrong Following Discovery of 1.3 Million Set-Top Box Botnet

Google has banned device manufacturer Videostrong from its certified Android ecosystem after an investigation linked the company to a botnet affecting more than 1.3 million Android set-top boxes worldwide.

Google’s Threat Intelligence Group alleges that Videostrong deliberately embedded a backdoor into device firmware and sold access to criminal affiliates. Infected devices were used for advertising fraud, data theft, routing third-party internet traffic through residential proxy networks and distributing additional malware, all without users’ knowledge or consent.

The investigation also identified infections in other Android-based connected devices, including telehealth equipment, karaoke machines and digital signage. Google and industry partners, including Japan’s National Police Agency, took action to dismantle the botnet’s control infrastructure and disrupt more than a dozen associated malware operations. Google estimates this could also sever access to at least 10 million additional compromised devices.

The ban prevents Videostrong and its future subsidiaries or affiliates from manufacturing or selling certified Android devices or supplying software to other certified manufacturers. Google has also strengthened its firmware security checks after identifying how the malicious code was installed following a device’s first boot.

The incident highlights growing security risks across connected television and smart devices, raising questions about manufacturer accountability, device certification and the importance of supply-chain security.