# Google Bans Videostrong Over Android TV Box Malware

> Google shuts down Videostrong, a Shenzhen company that built malware-infected Android TV boxes.
- Title: Google Bans Videostrong Over Android TV Box Malware | Shortify
- Summary: Google shuts down Videostrong, a Shenzhen company that built malware-infected Android TV boxes. Google banned Videostrong Technology, a Shenzhen company, for…
- Keywords: videostrong, android, google, botnet, shenzhen, malware, android tv boxes, The Next Web
- Source: The Next Web — https://thenextweb.com/news/google-videostrong-xcpe-botnet-android-tv-boxes
- Author: Ana Maria Constantin
- Published: 2026-11-04T13:22:06+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: videostrong, android, google, botnet, shenzhen, malware, android tv boxes, technology, startups
## Google shuts down XCPE botnet
Google banned Videostrong Technology, a Shenzhen company, for intentionally creating a botnet that infected 1.3 million Android TV boxes with backdoors for criminal use.

> A device manufacturer intentionally infecting their users with malware is an unacceptable breach of trust, and represents a serious risk to those users
## Videostrong's malware operations
Videostrong loaded criminal modules onto boxes to create residential proxies and fake ad views, and stole user data through backdoors.
## Google's takedown actions
Google worked with international partners to take down Videostrong's servers and over a dozen malware families, cutting off 10 million infected devices.
## Infected device distribution
TrendAI counted 1,472,554 infected devices across 206 models between June and October, with the US, Germany, UK, Australia and Canada each having 26,000 to 42,000 devices.
## Videostrong's certification gap
Videostrong was a certified Android maker that hid its malware code to exploit a gap in Google’s security tests, loading it after a device’s first boot.

> a gap in our tests
## Remaining infected devices
Owners cannot remove the backdoor themselves as it runs as a system app signed with the maker’s key, leaving 182 model names infected.
## Key takeaway

Google banned Videostrong Technology, a Shenzhen company, for intentionally creating a botnet that infected 1.3 million Android TV boxes with backdoors for criminal use.