A Recent BotNet Attack Sent 1.7 Billion DDoS Attacks Worldwide
We usually think of major cyberattacks as being caused by some advanced hacking, email fraud, or clicking on a link, but the reality is much more dangerous than that.
In just three days, a botnet sent out orders to launch 1.7 billion DDoS attacks worldwide. Its power was about thirty terabits per second, which is so much that even large websites can be shut down in a matter of seconds. Behind this attack were not some secret supercomputer but ordinary Android TV boxes in our homes, the same boxes that we buy cheaply for the lure of free streaming.
Surprisingly, the hackers did not send anyone an email or download a virus. They simply bought a proxy service and connected directly to the home network. Millions of mobile phones and tablets have free VPN and proxy apps installed that seemingly provide free services, but in reality, they rent out your home internet to others. This is how attackers got in and targeted Android TV boxes.
Most Android TV boxes have a feature turned on for factory testing called ADB. It has no password, and whoever gets access to it can take full control of the entire device. This is the vulnerability that hackers exploited. In a single command, they installed malware, and that TV box became part of a botnet. These devices were quietly placed in homes around the world and were used in large-scale cyber attacks behind the scenes.
The most terrifying scenario is that if a friend comes to your house, connects to your Wi-Fi, and has a free VPN or proxy app on his mobile, that same mobile can become the gateway to your home network. The friend goes back, but the infection remains in your home. You may not even realize it and your internet slows down, devices heat up for no reason and data starts to be consumed quickly.
This whole incident is enough to convince us that cheap smart devices and free VPNs are not just convenient but also a big threat. We lock the doors of our homes, but we leave the digital doors open without any protection. In today's era, understanding the security of the home network is not a luxury but has become a necessity, we can unknowingly become part of a huge cybercrime.