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Cybersecurity researchers fromHUMANrecently discovered a major ad fraud botnet scheme they called PEACHPIT.
BADBOX is a campaign in which hackers managed toinject malicious firmware into Android-powered TV streaming boxesin the production chain.
As a result, people were buying TV set-top boxes that came pre-loaded withmalware.
These apps were hiding ads behind the screen where nobody could see them.
The apps operators would then sell these fake impressions through programmatic advertising, for profit.
The botnet peaked at more than four billion fraudulent bid requests a day.
The malicious apps could also be downloaded standalone.
There were a total of 39 such apps, both for iOS and Android ecosystems.
The apps were downloaded more than 15 million times, in 227 territories around the world.
