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Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) said it disrupted attackers’ access to approximately 30,000 devices linked to the BadBox botnet by redirecting their communications—a technique called sinkholing. The action did not remove BadBox: the BSI said the malware remained installed, and advised people with affected devices to take them out of service.

What the BSI’s 30,000-device figure means

The approximately 30,000 figure describes devices for which the BSI said it blocked attackers’ access during its reported intervention. It is not a verified count of devices currently infected. The agency also reported that BadBox had accounted for up to 58% of infected devices in Germany at one point; that historical figure does not establish the botnet’s present scale. BSI’s retrospective post

The official material reviewed does not establish a current active-device count, a confirmed end date for sinkholing, or a complete public list of affected models. The BSI post includes a question from a reader asking how streaming-box owners can check whether their device is affected and whether there is a general product-name list, but it does not provide such a list.

What sinkholing does—and what it leaves behind

A botnet’s infected devices attempt to contact criminal control infrastructure so attackers can communicate with or direct them. Sinkholing redirects those attempts to a controlled destination, disrupting the attackers’ access. In the BSI’s BadBox operation, that meant blocking attackers’ access to the devices; it did not patch, disinfect, or cure them. The BSI explicitly said the malware remained on affected devices. BSI; SecurityWeek’s contemporaneous coverage

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Which devices could be affected

The BSI identified internet-connected digital picture frames, media players, smartphones, and tablets as possible BadBox-infected device categories. It said malware was often embedded in firmware during production, so a device could be compromised before it reached its owner. The category list is not a confirmed list of every affected product or model. BSI on connected devices and BadBox

What owners of a suspected device should do

  1. Take the device out of service. The BSI advises consumers to stop using affected devices. Because it says users cannot remove this firmware malware themselves, a factory reset or consumer antivirus should not be presented as a BadBox cure. BSI BadBox guidance; BSI connected-device guidance
  2. Check trustworthy notices. The reported response included redirecting device communications and involved providers with more than 100,000 customers. Contemporary coverage said providers were to help identify affected customers and alert them. These reports do not establish a public model-by-model lookup list. SecurityWeek
  3. Do not treat the intervention as a repair. Sinkholing interfered with attacker access, but the BSI’s statement that malware remained means a still-working device is not proof that it is clean.

How to make safer choices when buying connected devices

The BSI’s general consumer guidance is to consider Google Play Protect certification, whether a device receives regular security updates, and information about the product before buying. These are checks to inform a purchase, not proof that any particular product is immune to BadBox. The reviewed guidance does not endorse a specific safe brand or model. BSI consumer guidance on connected devices

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BSI President Claudia Plattner put the responsibility on manufacturers and sellers as well as consumers. In translation, she said that malware on internet-capable products is unfortunately not rare, outdated firmware versions pose a substantial risk, and cybersecurity should be an important consideration when buying. BSI statement by Claudia Plattner

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