Ethical Hacking News
Google has filed a lawsuit against 25 alleged operators of the notorious BadBox 2.0 botnet, which is estimated to be comprised of over 10 million infected devices worldwide. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants are responsible for developing and deploying the malware used to infect the devices, as well as carrying out various malicious activities through the botnet.
Google has filed a lawsuit against 25 alleged operators of the BadBox 2.0 botnet. The botnet is estimated to have over 10 million infected devices worldwide and is responsible for various malicious activities, including cybercrimes and DDoS attacks. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants are responsible for developing and deploying the malware used to infect devices and carrying out malicious activities through the botnet. Google's resources have been devoted to investigating and combating the botnet's harmful activity, with assistance from law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity firms. The lawsuit is unlikely to result in extradition of defendants due to China's reluctance to extradite individuals to the US, but it provides a significant blow to the botnet's operations.
Google, one of the world's largest and most influential technology companies, has taken a significant step in its efforts to combat cybercrime by filing a lawsuit against 25 alleged operators of the notorious BadBox 2.0 botnet. The botnet, which is estimated to be comprised of over 10 million infected devices worldwide, has been responsible for a wide range of malicious activities, including cybercrimes, fraud, and DDoS attacks.
The BadBox 2.0 botnet first emerged in late 2022, after attackers infected around 74,000 off-brand Android-powered internet-connected TV devices with backdoors. However, the botnet has since undergone significant changes and upgrades, with new versions of the malware being deployed to continue its operations. Despite efforts by security researchers and law enforcement agencies to disrupt the botnet's activities, it has continued to expand and evolve, with reports suggesting that it now comprises over 10 million infected devices.
The lawsuit, which was filed in April 2025, alleges that the 25 defendants are responsible for developing and deploying the malware used to infect the devices, as well as for carrying out various malicious activities through the botnet. The lawsuit also claims that the defendants have interfered with Google's relationships with its users, harmed Google's reputation, impaired the value of Google's products and services, and forced the company to devote substantial resources to investigate and combat the botnet's harmful activity.
The BadBox 2.0 Enterprise is a sophisticated malware system that is comprised of several different groups, each responsible for carrying out various parts of the operation. The Infrastructure Group develops and manages the primary C2 servers and domains used by the botnet, while the Backdoor Malware Group preinstalls backdoors in the bots used to operate the botnet and sell access to proxy devices used for ad fraud and other money-making schemes. Additionally, there are groups responsible for maintaining secondary infrastructure, scheme-specific malware, and scheme-specific apps and websites used on the infected devices.
The lawsuit provides a detailed look at how the BadBox 2.0 Enterprise operates, highlighting the complex network of actors involved in the botnet's activities. It also highlights the significant resources that Google has devoted to investigating and combating the botnet, as well as the company's efforts to work with law enforcement agencies and other partners to disrupt the botnet's operations.
Human Security, a cybersecurity firm, has been working closely with Google on this case, and CEO Stu Solomon has praised the lawsuit as a significant step forward in the ongoing battle to secure the internet from sophisticated fraud operations that hijack devices, steal money, and exploit consumers without their knowledge. Solomon stated that "This takedown marks a significant step forward in the ongoing battle to secure the internet from sophisticated fraud operations that hijack devices, steal money, and exploit consumers without their knowledge." He also expressed his gratitude for the partnership with Google and other organizations, noting that "Their collaboration has been invaluable in helping us expose and dismantle this threat."
The lawsuit is unlikely to result in any of the defendants being held accountable, however, as they are all located in China, a country that rarely extradites individuals to the United States. Nevertheless, the lawsuit provides a significant blow to the BadBox 2.0 Enterprise, disrupting its operations and making it more difficult for the botnet's operators to carry out their malicious activities.
In conclusion, Google's lawsuit against the alleged operators of the BadBox 2.0 botnet is an important development in the ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime. The suit highlights the complexity and sophistication of the malware system used by the botnet, as well as the significant resources that Google has devoted to investigating and combating its activities.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Google-Files-Lawsuit-Against-25-Alleged-BadBox-20-Botnet-Operators-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/07/17/google_sues_25_unnamed_chinese/
Published: Thu Jul 17 21:41:54 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
