Security researchers have discovered a widespread malware infection affecting millions of Android TV boxes worldwide. The malware, known as “Vo1d,” poses a significant threat to users of these devices.
Extent of the malware infection
According to security researchers at “Dr. Web,” nearly 1.3 million devices across 197 countries have been infected with the “Vo1d” malware. The affected devices are Android TV boxes running the open-source variant “Android Open Source Project” (AOSP) of the operating system. Specifically, the infected devices are running versions “Android 7.1.2; R4-Build/NHG47K”, “Android 12.1; TV-BOX-Build/NHG47K”, and “Android 10.1; KJ-SMART4KVIP-Build/NHG47K”.
The malware allows hackers to download and install harmful third-party programs without the user’s knowledge. The highest number of infections have been found in Brazil, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Argentina, Ecuador, Tunisia, Malaysia, Algeria, and Indonesia.
Google’s response and AOSP clarification
According to the IT portal “heise online,” Google, the Android developer, has commented on the case. They clarified that the affected devices are exclusively Android TV boxes running AOSP. Google emphasized that AOSP is not related to the proprietary operating system for Android TVs, Android TV, and is not Play Protect certified. This suggests that mainly low-cost, lower-quality devices are affected.
“Dr. Web” reports that the attackers primarily targeted TV boxes running outdated Android versions. These often contain unresolved vulnerabilities and are no longer supported with updates.
Protecting against the malware
Users can protect themselves by using Play Protect certified devices. This security software, developed by Google, runs in the background to search for malware-infected applications and prevent virus infections.
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