A Chinese manufacturer intentionally infected 1.3 million Android devices

Google has terminated its partnership with Chinese manufacturer Videostrong Technology after discovering that the company intentionally installed a backdoor on 1.3 million Android devices to create a botnet. The tech giant not only severed ties but also closed the backdoor and prohibited Videostrong from producing certified Android devices in the future. The infected devices were reportedly used for malicious activities without the owners' knowledge, including ad fraud and data theft. Google noted that Videostrong had embedded the backdoor in various models over several years, including Android-based set-top boxes and IoT devices. The company has since revised its verification processes for device manufacturers to prevent similar incidents.