Google Shuts Down Cybercrime Network Infecting 1 Million Devices Worldwide

Google announced Tuesday that it is shutting down a network of approximately one million hijacked electronic devices used worldwide to commit online crimes, as well as suing Russia-based hackers the tech giant claims are to blame.

The so-called botnet of infected devices, which was also used to stealthily mine Bitcoin, has been cut off from the people wielding it on the Internet, at least for the time being.

“The operators of Glupteba are likely to attempt to regain control of the botnet using a backup command and control mechanism,” wrote Google’s threat analysis group’s Shane Huntley and Luca Nagy.

Large technology companies, such as Google and Microsoft, are increasingly drawn into the fight against cybercrime, which is conducted through their products, giving them a unique understanding of and access to the threats.

Google stated that the network includes approximately one million Windows-using devices worldwide for crimes such as stealing users’ credentials, and that it has targeted victims from the United States, India, Brazil, and Southeast Asia.

In addition, the company filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York against Dmitry Starovikov and Alexander Filippov, seeking an injunction to prevent them from wrongdoing on its platforms.

Glupteba, which spreads by masquerading as free, downloadable software, videos, or movies that people unwittingly download onto their devices, was discovered by cybersecurity experts in 2011.

According to Google’s lawsuit, unlike traditional botnets that rely on predetermined channels to ensure their survival, Glupteba is programmed to find a replacement server in order to continue operating even after being attacked.

Because the botnet Web combines the power of one million devices, it possesses extraordinary power that could be used for large-scale ransomware or other attacks.

To keep the network running, the organization “uses Google advertisements to post job openings for the websites” that do the illegal work.

The hackers also used Google’s own services to spread the malware, with the Internet giant shutting down 63 million Google Docs and terminating over 1,100 Google accounts used to spread Glupteba.

Botnets have the ability to “They recover more quickly from disruptions, making them more difficult to shut down. In order to combat this type of behavior, we are collaborating closely with industry and the government “Google stated this in a blog post.