Malware, like the security mechanisms of electronic devices, It evolves over time to adapt and find cracks in which to act. Europe is a country that is increasingly aware of IT security, but despite this, many users can be affected by the type of viruses that infiltrate devices.
Today malware was discovered that affects Android TV Boxes, the multimedia devices through which the operating system can be used on traditional televisions. Her name is Pandora Backdoor, and it is an evolution of another type of malware called Mirai, and in just a few months it has been detected more than 30,000 times, and in some cases also on Android phones.
Its great danger is that this type of virus can perform certain actions without the user’s knowledge, so it can be difficult to stop them if the user himself does not know that his device is infected. These actions can include using the device in a cyberattack, sending sensitive data, and even installing other types of malware.
Some Android TVs are in danger
Typically, the transmission of this type of malware occurs when a user downloads an app from a source outside of Google Play. Often, apps that hide this type of surprise are seemingly normal, promising to be able to access content such as TV shows or movies for free.
This is in addition to some security vulnerabilities which, according to security company ESET, exist on some cheap Android TV devices. The lack of vigilance of certain manufacturers in this regard means that certain devices, particularly home automation devices, may be more exposed.
In the case of devices equipped with Android TV, the best prevention to avoid this type of malicious content is Do not download apps from sources outside the official Google Play store
It is also worth being wary if, after installing one of these applications, it starts asking for permissions that, a priori, are not necessary to run a content application on streaming. If you are not sure whether Pandora Backdoor is present on a device with Android TV, you can try downloading an antivirus application that scans the internal memory to detect and eliminate it.
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