Android TV streaming boxes that promise “everything for one price” are everywhere right now. 

You’ll see them on big retail sites, in influencer videos, and even recommended by friends who swear they’ve cut the cord for good. And to be fair, they look irresistible on paper, offering thousands of channels for a one-time payment. But security researchers are warning that some of these boxes may come with a hidden cost.

In several cases, devices sold as simple media streamers appear to quietly turn your home internet connection into part of larger networks used for shady online activity. And many buyers have no idea it’s happening.

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What’s inside these streaming boxes

According to an investigation by Krebs on Security, media streaming devices don’t behave like ordinary media streamers once they’re connected to your network. Researchers closely examine SuperBox, which is an Android-based streaming box sold through third-party sellers on major retail platforms. On paper, SuperBox markets itself as just hardware. The company claims it doesn’t pre-install pirated apps and insists users are responsible for what they install. That sounds reassuring until you look at how the device actually works.

To unlock the thousands of channels SuperBox advertises, you must first remove Google’s official app ecosystem and replace it with an unofficial app store. That step alone should raise eyebrows. Once those custom apps are installed, the device doesn’t just stream video but also begins routing internet traffic through third-party proxy networks.

What this means is that your home internet connection may be used to relay traffic for other people. That traffic can include ad fraud, credential stuffing attempts and large-scale web scraping.

During testing by Censys, a cyber intelligence company that tracks internet-connected devices, SuperBox models immediately contacted servers tied to Tencent’s QQ messaging service, run by Tencent, as well as a residential proxy service called Grass.

Grass describes itself as an opt-in network that lets you earn rewards by sharing unused internet bandwidth. This suggests that SuperBox devices may be using SDKs or tooling that hijack bandwidth without clear user consent, effectively turning the box into a node inside a proxy network.

Why SuperBox activity resembles botnet behavior

In simple terms, a botnet is a large group of compromised devices that work together to route traffic or perform online tasks without the owners realizing it.

Researchers discovered SuperBox devices contained advanced networking and remote access tools that have no business being on a streaming box. These included utilities like Tcpdump and Netcat, which are commonly used for network monitoring and traffic interception.

The devices performed DNS hijacking and ARP poisoning on local networks, techniques used to redirect traffic and impersonate other devices on the same network. Some models even contained directories labeled “secondstage,” suggesting additional payloads or functionality beyond streaming.

SuperBox is just one brand in a crowded market of no-name Android streaming devices. Many of them promise free content and quick setup, but often come preloaded with malware or require unofficial app stores that expose users to serious risk.

In July 2025, Google filed a lawsuit against operators behind what it called the BADBOX 2.0 botnet, a network of more than ten million compromised Android devices. These devices were used for advertising fraud and proxy services, and many were infected before consumers even bought them.

Around the same time, the Feds warned that compromised streaming and IoT devices were being used to gain unauthorized access to home networks and funnel traffic into criminal proxy services.

We reached out to SuperBox for comment but did not receive a response before our deadline.

8 steps you can take to protect yourself

If you already own one of these streaming boxes or are thinking about buying one, these steps can help reduce your risk significantly.

1) Avoid devices that require unofficial app stores

If a streaming box asks you to remove Google Play or install apps from an unknown marketplace, stop right there. This bypasses Android’s built-in security checks and opens the door to malicious software. Legitimate Android TV devices don’t require this.

2) Use strong antivirus software on your devices

Even if the box itself is compromised, strong antivirus software on your computers and phones can detect suspicious network behavior, malicious connections or follow-on attacks like credential stuffing. Strong antivirus software monitors behavior, not just files, which matters when malware operates quietly in the background. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

3) Put streaming devices on a separate or guest network

If your router supports it, isolate smart TVs and streaming boxes from your main network. This prevents a compromised device from seeing your laptops, phones or work systems. It’s one of the simplest ways to limit damage if something goes wrong.

4) Use a password manager

If your internet connection is being abused, stolen credentials often come next. A password manager ensures every account uses a unique password, so one leak doesn’t unlock everything. Many password managers also refuse to autofill on suspicious or fake websites, which can alert you before you make a mistake.

MAKE 2026 YOUR MOST PRIVATE YEAR YET BY REMOVING BROKER DATA

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

5) Consider using a VPN for sensitive activity

A VPN won’t magically fix a compromised device, but it can reduce exposure by encrypting your traffic when browsing, banking or working online. This makes it harder for third parties to inspect or misuse your data if your network is being relayed.

For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

6) Watch your internet usage and router activity

Unexpected spikes in bandwidth, slower speeds or strange outbound connections can be warning signs. Many routers show connected devices and traffic patterns.

If you notice suspicious traffic or behavior, unplug the streaming box immediately and perform a factory reset on your router. In some cases, the safest option is to stop using the device altogether.

Also, make sure your router firmware is up to date and that you’ve changed the default admin password. Compromised devices often try to exploit weak router settings to persist on a network.

7) Be wary of “free everything” streaming promises

Unlimited premium channels for a one-time fee usually mean you’re paying in some other way, often with your data, bandwidth or legal exposure. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

8) Consider a data removal service

If your internet connection or accounts have been abused, your personal details may already be circulating among data brokers. A data removal service can help opt you out of people-search sites and reduce the amount of personal information criminals can exploit for follow-up scams or identity theft. While it won’t fix a compromised device, it can limit long-term exposure.

10 SIMPLE CYBERSECURITY RESOLUTIONS FOR A SAFER 2026

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Streaming boxes like SuperBox thrive on frustration. As subscriptions pile up, people look for shortcuts. But when a device promises everything for nothing, it’s worth asking what it’s really doing behind the scenes. Research shows that some of these boxes don’t just stream TV. They quietly turn your home network into a resource for others, sometimes for criminal activity. Cutting the cord shouldn’t mean giving up control of your internet connection. Before plugging in that “too good to be true” box, it’s worth slowing down and looking a little closer.

Would you still use a streaming box if it meant sharing your internet with strangers? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Anthropic wants to expand Claude’s AI agent capabilities and take advantage of the growing hype around Claude Code — and it’s doing it with a brand-new feature released Monday, dubbed “Claude Cowork.”

“Cowork can take on many of the same tasks that Claude Code can handle, but in a more approachable form for non-coding tasks,” Anthropic wrote in a blog post. The company is releasing it as a “research preview” so the team can learn more about how people use it and continue building accordingly. So far, Cowork is only available via Claude’s macOS app, and only for subscribers of Anthropic’s power-user tier, Claude Max, which costs $100 to $200 per month depending on usage.

Here’s how Claude Cowork works: A user gives Claude access to a folder on their computer, allowing the chatbot to read, edit, or create files. (Examples Anthropic gave included the ability fo “re-organize your downloads by sorting and renaming each file, create a new spreadsheet with a list of expenses from a pile of screenshots, or produce a first draft of a report from your scattered notes.”) Claude will provide regular updates on what it’s working on, and users can also use existing connectors to link it to external info (like Asana, Notion, PayPal, and other supported partners) or link it to Claude in Chrome for browser-related tasks.

“You don’t need to keep manually providing context or converting Claude’s outputs into the right format,” Anthropic wrote. “Nor do you have to wait for Claude to finish before offering further ideas or feedback: you can queue up tasks and let Claude work through them in parallel. It feels much less like a back-and-forth and much more like leaving messages for a coworker.”

The new feature is part of Anthropic’s (and its competitors’) bid to provide the most actually useful AI agents, both for consumers and enterprise. AI agents have come a long way from their humble beginnings as mostly-theoretically-useful tools, but there’s still much more development needed before you’ll see your non-tech-industry friends using them to complete everyday tasks.

Anthropic’s “Skills for Claude,” announced in October, was a partial precursor to Cowork. Starting in October, Claude could improve at personalized tasks and jobs, by way of “folders that include instructions, scripts, and resources that Claude can load when needed to make it smarter at specific work tasks — from working with Excel [to] following your organization’s brand guidelines,” per a release at the time. People could also build their own Skills for Claude relative to their specific jobs and tasks they needed to be completed.

As part of the announcement, Anthropic warned about the potential dangers of using Cowork and other AI agent tools, namely the fact that if instructions aren’t clear, Claude does have the ability to delete local files and take other “potentially destructive actions” — and that with prompt injection attacks, there are a range of potential safety concerns. Prompt injection attacks often involve bad actors hiding malicious text in a website that the model is referencing, which instructs the model to bypass its safeguards and do something harmful, such as hand over personal data. “Agent safety — that is, the task of securing Claude’s real-world actions — is still an active area of development in the industry,” Anthropic wrote.

Claude Max subscribers try out the new feature by clicking on “Cowork” in the sidebar of the macOS app. Other users can join the waitlist.

Touch something hot, and your hand snaps back before you even think. That split second matters.

Sensory nerves in your skin send a rapid signal to your spinal cord, which triggers your muscles right away. Your brain catches up later. Most robots cannot do this. When a humanoid robot touches something harmful, sensor data usually travels to a central processor, waits for analysis and then sends instructions back to the motors. Even tiny delays can lead to broken parts or dangerous interactions. 

As robots move into homes, hospitals and workplaces, that lag becomes a real problem.

A robotic skin designed to mimic the human nervous system

Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and collaborating universities are tackling this challenge with a neuromorphic robotic e-skin, also known as NRE-skin. Instead of acting like a simple pressure pad, this skin works more like a human nervous system. Traditional robot skins can tell when they are touched. They cannot tell whether that touch is harmful. The new e-skin can do both. That difference changes everything.

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How the neuromorphic e-skin works

The e-skin is built in four layers that mirror how human skin and nerves function. The top layer acts as a protective outer covering, similar to the epidermis. Beneath it sit sensors and circuits that behave like sensory nerves. Even when nothing touches the robot, the skin sends a small electrical pulse to the robot every 75 to 150 seconds. This signal acts like a status check that says everything is fine. When the skin is damaged, that pulse stops. The robot immediately knows where it was injured and alerts its owner. Touch creates another signal. Normal contact sends neural-like spikes to the robot’s central processor for interpretation. However, extreme pressure triggers something different.

How robots detect pain and trigger instant reflexes

If force exceeds a preset threshold, the skin generates a high-voltage spike that goes straight to the motors. This bypasses the central processor entirely. The result is a reflex. The robot can pull its arm away instantly, much like a human does after touching a hot surface. The pain signal only appears when the contact is truly dangerous, which helps prevent overreaction. This local reflex system reduces damage, improves safety and makes interactions feel more natural.

ROBOTS LEARN 1,000 TASKS IN ONE DAY FROM A SINGLE DEMO

Self-repairing robotic skin makes fixes fast

The design includes another clever feature. The e-skin is made from magnetic patches that fit together like building blocks. If part of the skin gets damaged, an owner can remove the affected patch and snap in a new one within seconds. There is no need to replace the entire surface. That modular approach saves time, lowers costs and keeps robots in service longer.

Why pain-sensing skin matters for real-world robots

Future service robots will need to work close to people. They will assist patients, help older adults and operate safely in crowded spaces. A sense of touch that includes pain and injury detection makes robots more aware and more trustworthy. It also reduces the risk of accidents caused by delayed reactions or sensor overload. The research team says their neural-inspired design improves robotic touch, safety and intuitive human-robot interaction. It is a key step toward robots that behave less like machines and more like responsive partners.

What this technology means for the future of robots

The next challenge is sensitivity. The researchers want the skin to recognize multiple touches at the same time without confusion. If successful, robots could handle complex physical tasks while staying alert to danger across their entire surface. That brings humanoid robots one step closer to acting on instinct.

ROBOT STUNS CROWD AFTER SHOCKING ONSTAGE REVEAL

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Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Robots that can feel pain may sound unsettling at first. In reality, it is about protection, speed and safety. By copying how the human nervous system works, scientists are giving robots faster reflexes and better judgment in the physical world. As robots become part of daily life, those instincts could make all the difference.

Would you feel more comfortable around a robot if it could sense pain and react instantly, or does that idea raise new concerns for you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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