Find out if you are at risk

Did you know that devices TV box Are hackers used by hackers to commit cybercrimes? That's right, according to Chinese cybersecurity lab Qianxin Xlabs, Brazil tops the list of countries most targeted by these criminals. They install malware on these devices to steal data and create networks of infected computers, known as botnets.

What are botnets and how do they work

Botnets are large networks consisting of infected devices. These networks are used to access victims' private information. In the case of pirated TV boxes, these devices have become a popular tool among Hackers. Qianxin Xlabs discovered that the Bigpanzi group, active since 2015, controls more than 170,000 of these infected devices.

The matter does not stop there, as the situation may be more dangerous than it seems. In August 2023, an analysis revealed that 1.3 million IP addresses controlled by Bigpanzi were linked to one of its botnets. Many of these IPs are from Brazil, especially from states such as Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas, Tocantins, Paraíba, Alagoas, Sergipe, Paraná, and Santa Catarina.

How hackers infect TV boxes

Bigpanzi hackers infect TVs in two ways: through fake firmware updates and through backdoor applications. Users are tricked into installing these apps, allowing hackers to access devices.

Once your TV Box is infected, it can be used for many illegal activities. Devices become nodes in a network of botnets, which are used to store, exchange, send, and retrieve data. These activities include illegal streaming, Internet traffic routing, denial of service (DDoS) attacks, and over-the-top (OTT) content distribution.

Qianxin Xlabs warns that what has been discovered so far may just be “the tip of the iceberg in terms of what Bigpanzi interacts with.” This indicates that cyber attacks using pirated TV boxes are a growing and complex problem.