Android partner's set-top boxes turned into botnet
The gist
Google says it dismantled the XCPE backdoor that enrolled over 1.3 million Android set-top boxes into a botnet.
It cut ties with the Shenzhen manufacturer it says built the malware in.
How it unfolded
- Oct 29, 2026Security firm TrendAI says it supplied intelligence over several months on the botnet infrastructure behind more than 1.3 million Android devices, including TV set-top boxes and projectors.
- Nov 2, 2026Google says it and industry partners dismantled the XCPE backdoor, which had enrolled more than 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet.
- Nov 2, 2026Google says it cut ties with Videostrong and banned it, along with future subsidiaries and affiliates, from building or selling certified Android devices or supplying software for them.