It is thus a surprise that an investigation by cybersecurity researcher Daniel Milisic discovered that the popular Android TV boxes sold by brands such as ALL Winner and Rockchip come pre-loaded with malware. Milisic bought an AllWinner T95 set-top box last year and discovered the chip’s firmware was infected with malware, that it communicated with command and control servers and connected to a larger botnet of thousands of other malware-infected Android TV boxes across the globe.
His findings were later confirmed by Bill Budington, a researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The implications of this preinstalled malware are far-reaching and worrisome. Millions of users who purchase these low-cost devices unknowingly expose themselves to various security risks, including data theft, unauthorized access to personal information, and potential financial losses. Additionally, this malware can compromise user privacy by collecting sensitive data without their knowledge, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft and other cybercrime.
The revelation of preinstalled malware on low-cost Android phones and smart TVs serves as a crucial wake-up call for consumers to remain vigilant. It emphasizes the need for thorough research and scrutiny when purchasing devices, especially from lesser-known brands or unverified sellers. Users need to prioritize devices from reputable manufacturers and always opt for official distribution channels to minimize the risk of encountering preinstalled malware. Addressing this issue requires a collaborative effort from device manufacturers, app stores, and regulatory bodies.
Manufacturers need to implement rigorous security measures during the production process to ensure that their devices are free from malware before reaching the market. App stores must strengthen their screening processes to prevent the inclusion of apps that facilitate preinstalled malware. Furthermore, regulatory bodies should establish stricter guidelines and standards for device manufacturers to safeguard consumer interests.
If your social media life went for a spin because your favourite Instagram wasn’t working and you couldn’t get the pleasure of endless scrolling, you are not alone. Instagram confirmed that the photo-sharing social media platform suffered a “brief outage” that lasted for a few hours and disrupted the service to thousands of users across the globe.
Since then however, Instagram is back online after the technical issue that was responsible for the nearly-two-hour-long outage was resolved by the social media company.
“Instagram is back! Sorry for the trouble – we had a brief outage earlier and resolved the issue that caused it. #instagramdown,” read a tweet by Instagram’s PR team on Twitter.
Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from various sources, revealed that over 180,000 users reported issues with accessing the photo-sharing social media platform at the peak of the outage. More than 24,000 users in Canada and over 100,000 incidents in the US reported problems with Instagram, while the same number amounted to over 56,000 users in Britain. Over 9,500 instances of the outage were reported in India.
“Earlier today, a technical issue caused some people to have trouble accessing Instagram. We resolved the issue as quickly as possible for everyone who was impacted, and we’re sorry for any disruption this has caused,” a spokesperson for Meta commented on the matter in an email.
The outage at Instagram marks the first major one suffered by it since September 22. As a rule, the Meta-owned platform seldom goes down (and rarely in such a manner), and this time, Instagram did not elaborate on the technical issue that caused the outage. Downdetector reveals that 42% of users reported problems with connecting to the servers, while 41% of users ran into problems with the Instagram app. 16% of users reported issues while logging in.
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