Author/Source: Brian Krebs See the full link here
Takeaway
This article warns that many inexpensive Android TV streaming boxes bought online are secretly infected with harmful software. These devices can then be used by criminals to form a “botnet” and perform illegal activities without the owner’s knowledge.
Technical Subject Understandability
Intermediate
Analogy/Comparison
Having an infected Android TV box is like owning a car that someone else can secretly control and use for their own illegal errands without you ever knowing.
Why It Matters
These infected devices can be used to commit cybercrimes, like sending junk mail or launching attacks against websites, which can cause trouble for businesses and other people online. For example, some are used in “distributed denial-of-service” attacks to flood company websites and take them offline.
Related Terms
Malware, Botnet, Proxy service, DDoS attack, Trojan horse, Backdoor. Jargon Conversion: Malware is bad software that can harm your device. A botnet is a group of hijacked devices controlled by bad guys. A proxy service is like using someone else’s computer to hide your own internet location. A DDoS attack is when many computers try to crash a website at the same time. A Trojan horse is a harmful program disguised as something useful. A backdoor is a secret way for someone to get into your device.
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