Nearly 2 Million Android TVs Infected with Malware, Triggering Cybercrime Campaigns
Cybersecurity firm Xlab has recently reported that nearly 1.59 million Android-based smart TVs have been compromised by Vo1d malware, leading to the formation of a large botnet. This botnet poses a serious risk of triggering a wide-reaching cybercrime campaign in the near future.
Xlab’s security experts have stated that the malware’s spread is global, potentially affecting devices in 226 countries. The infection, which initially began with around 50,000 botnets in November 2024, has rapidly expanded, with estimates suggesting that over 800,000 bots are now active by January 2025. This growing threat could soon evolve into a much larger cyberattack.
The majority of the infected Android TVs are concentrated in countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Argentina, Thailand, and China, with little to no infection detected in Western regions—according to the latest figures.
DragonForce Ransomware Strikes Saudi Real Estate Firm, Leaks 6TB of Data
The notorious DragonForce ransomware has recently targeted a real estate and construction company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, resulting in significant data theft and encryption. After the firm refused to pay the demanded ransom, cybercriminals released a portion of the stolen 6TB of data on a specialized leak site for financial gain.
US-based cybersecurity firm Resecurity was the first to confirm the attack, revealing that a ransomware-as-a-service group was behind the incident. The attack took place just days before the start of Ramadan, a sacred period for the global Muslim community, adding an extra layer of complexity to the cyberattack.
Over 3 Billion Passwords Stolen by Infostealer Malware
In another alarming cybersecurity breach, KELA, a threat intelligence firm, has reported that infostealer malware has successfully stolen over 3.9 billion password credentials. These stolen credentials, which are extracted from millions of infected devices, have raised significant concerns due to the high potential for phishing and brute-force attacks in the future.
Infostealer malware is a type of surveillance tool that secretly infiltrates devices and collects sensitive data, including login credentials, financial information, personal messages, photos, videos, and more. This bulk data exfiltration makes infostealers particularly dangerous, as they can evade security measures and compromise vast amounts of information quickly.
To protect against such threats, experts recommend deploying endpoint detection and response tools and utilizing multi-factor authentication, which can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
