Botnet Warning: Budget Android TV Boxes Could Be Secretly Hijacking Your Internet

A growing number of off-brand Android TV boxes promise unlimited ad-free streaming for a one-time fee, but there's a catch. Security experts have found that these devices are being used for botnets and other cyber-crimes.

As spotted by KrebsOnSecurity and documented by Google, these "bad boxes" do often work as advertised, but also perform a number of shady background operations, like mining crypto, participating in advertising scams, participating in DDoS attacks, and other botnet behavior. Besides the blatant copyright violations associated with many of these devices, the existence of malware on your network could also expose other devices to potential risks, including ransomware. You do not want one of these "bad boxes" on the same network as your critical personal systems or devices.

What's worse is that these devices are still being widely sold at prominent retailers including Walmart and Best Buy. The ...