Your Android TV box might be part of a criminal botnet: On November 2, 2026, Google exposed a massive botnet operation involving Videostrong Technology Co., an Android TV device manufacturer. More than 1.3 million devices were reportedly enrolled in the XCPE botnet. The particularly alarming part: Videostrong allegedly embedded a backdoor directly into the firmware of its devices. This allowed attackers to remotely access devices, execute commands, collect device information and use unsuspecting users’ internet connections. The compromised devices were used for residential proxy networks, ad fraud and other malicious activities, potentially turning people’s homes into infrastructure for cybercrime. Videostrong is an OEM/ODM manufacturer. This means it produces hardware and firmware for other companies, which then sell the devices under their own brand names. Your TV box does NOT need to carry the Videostrong name to be affected. A familiar brand name on the casing is no guarantee that the underlying hardware or firmware is safe. 🇨🇭 A particular warning for Swiss customers: Yallo TV The model LEAP-S1 appears in Synthient’s published list of device models identified in the XCPE investigation. Yallo has supplied this model to its customers – and I personally own one that came through Yallo. This does not prove that every LEAP-S1 or every Yallo customer has an infected device. However, the model’s appearance on the list is a serious reason for concern and further investigation. Check whether your device model appears in the investigation: https://github.com/synthient/public-research/tree/main/2026/11/Videostrong Google has disrupted the botnet infrastructure, but that does NOT automatically remove a backdoor embedded in a device’s firmware. A factory reset or uninstalling apps may not be enough. The takeaway: Don’t assume your Android TV box is safe just because it comes from a familiar brand or was supplied by a legitimate telecom provider. Check your hardware, investigate its manufacturer and think twice before connecting unknown devices to your home network. submitted by /u/GeorgeMaharis2
Originally posted by u/GeorgeMaharis2 on r/Switzerland