Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

RustDuck is a small, evolving DDoS botnet migrating to Rust. It uses advanced encryption, anti-analysis evasion, and exploits known IoT flaws. Since February 2026, researchers at QiAnXin’s XLab have been tracking a new malware family, called RustDuck, that hijacks routers, cameras, Android set-top boxes, and exposed servers, then uses them to flood targets with junk […]

A new two-stage malware family called RustDuck is hijacking home routers, IP cameras, Android boxes, and poorly secured servers, then stitching them into a network built to knock websites and online services offline

It’s Monday again

For the past four years, a sprawling Android-based botnet called Popa has forced millions of consumer TV boxes to relay Internet traffic linked to advertising fraud, account takeovers, and mass data-scraping efforts. This week, researchers from multiple security firms concluded that the Popa botnet is linked to NetNut, a "residential proxy" provider operated by the publicly-traded Israeli firm Alarum Technologies Ltd [NASDAQ: ALAR].

Cybersecurity researchers have exposed a new Mirai-derived botnet that self-identifies as xlabs_v1 and targets internet-exposed devices running Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to enlist them in a network capable of carrying out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks

The cybercriminals in control of Kimwolf -- a disruptive botnet that has infected more than 2 million devices -- recently shared a screenshot indicating they'd compromised the control panel for Badbox 2.0, a vast China-based botnet powered by malicious software that comes pre-installed on many Android TV streaming boxes. Both the FBI and Google say they are hunting for the people behind Badbox 2.0, and thanks to bragging by the Kimwolf botmasters we may now have a much clearer idea about that.

The Black Lotus Labs team at Lumen Technologies said it null-routed traffic to more than 550 command-and-control (C2) nodes associated with the AISURU/Kimwolf botnet since early October 2025

Our first story of 2026 revealed how a destructive new botnet called Kimwolf rapidly grew to infect more than two million devices by mass-compromising a vast number of unofficial Android TV streaming boxes. Today, we'll dig through digital clues left behind by the hackers, network operators, and cybercrime services that appear to have benefitted from Kimwolf's spread.

The Kimwolf botnet, an Android variant of the Aisuru malware, has grown to more than two million hosts, most of them infected by exploiting vulnerabilities in residential proxy networks to target devices on internal networks. [...]

The botnet known as Kimwolf has infected more than 2 million Android devices by tunneling through residential proxy networks, according to findings from Synthient

A new distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) botnet known as Kimwolf has enlisted a massive army of no less than 1.8 million infected devices comprising Android-based TVs, set-top boxes, and tablets, and may be associated with another botnet known as AISURU, according to findings from QiAnXin XLab

On the surface, the Superbox media streaming devices for sale at retailers like BestBuy and Walmart may seem like a steal: They offer unlimited access to more than 2,200 pay-per-view and streaming services like Netflix, ESPN and Hulu, all for a one-time fee of around $400. But security experts warn these TV boxes require intrusive software that forces the user's network to relay Internet traffic for others, traffic that is often tied to cybercrime activity such as advertising fraud and account takeovers.

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a nascent Android remote access trojan (RAT) called PlayPraetor that has infected more than 11,000 devices, primarily across Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco, Peru, and Hong Kong

Google on Thursday revealed it's pursuing legal action in New York federal court against 25 unnamed individuals or entities in China for allegedly operating BADBOX 2.0 botnet and residential proxy infrastructure

Google has filed a lawsuit against the anonymous operators of the Android BadBox 2.0 malware botnet, accusing them of running a global ad fraud scheme against the company's advertising platforms. [...]

Over 1 Million Infected Off-Brand Android Devices Pose Global Fraud RiskA China-based botnet operation called BADBOX 2.0 has infected more than 1 million off-brand Android smart devices globally. In an alert, the FBI advised consumers to check their home networks for suspicious activity that could be linked to multiple fraud schemes.

Though the operation was partially disrupted earlier this year, the botnet remains active and continues to target connected Android devices.

At least four different threat actors have been identified as involved in an updated version of a massive ad fraud and residential proxy scheme called BADBOX, painting a picture of an interconnected cybercrime ecosystem

Best not to buy cheap hardware and use third-party app stores if you want to stay clear of this vast ad fraud effort Human Security’s Satori research team says it has found a new variant of the remote-controllable Badbox malware, and as many as a million infected Android devices running it to form a massive botnet.…

Off-Brand Android Devices Come Infrected With A TrojanA botnet infected more than 1 million off-brand Android devices manufactured in China, reached consumers with a backdoor already installed. Scammers used the devices for programmatic ad fraud, click fraud and converting the devices into a residential proxy.