That cheap streaming box promising free movies, live sports and premium channels may come with a hidden cost you never agreed to pay.

Security researchers are warning about a sprawling Android-based botnet called Popa. It has reportedly forced millions of consumer TV boxes to relay internet traffic tied to ad fraud, account takeovers and mass data scraping.

The concern goes beyond one shady app or one off-brand gadget. It points to a bigger problem sitting in living rooms across the country. Your home internet connection can be quietly used by strangers. In other words, that box connected to your TV may be doing more than streaming shows and movies.

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What cheap streaming box malware is doing

Popa is tied to the wider Vo1d and BADBOX-style ecosystem of compromised Android-based streaming devices. These are often unofficial TV boxes sold online under countless names. Many promise access to paid movies, sports or channels for a one-time price. That should be your first warning sign.

KrebsOnSecurity reports that Popa works less like a traditional botnet built for quick attacks and more like a persistent tunneling system. It can register a device, keep encrypted connections open and route traffic through that device when needed.

So what does that mean at home? Someone else’s internet traffic can appear to come from your house.

Why residential proxy networks put your home Wi-Fi at risk

A residential proxy uses a regular home internet address to send traffic. To a website, that traffic can look like it came from an ordinary household instead of a suspicious server farm.

That makes these networks valuable for people trying to hide mass scraping, fake ad clicks, account attacks or other shady activity. It also creates a scary problem for the person who owns the Wi-Fi.

Your IP address could show up as the source, even though you had no idea anything was happening. The FBI has warned that compromised internet-connected devices can become part of BADBOX 2.0 and residential proxy services used for criminal activity. Those devices can include TV streaming boxes, digital projectors, digital picture frames and other connected gadgets.

For more on how attackers can abuse connected devices, see our report on how the FBI warned that more than 1 million Android devices were hijacked by malware.

How big the Popa Android TV botnet appears to be

The numbers are huge. Lumen’s Black Lotus Labs told Krebs that Popa averages between 1.5 million and 2.5 million distinct IP addresses each day. The system also reportedly relies on hundreds of internet addresses used to direct its activity.

Google previously said BADBOX 2.0 compromised more than 10 million uncertified devices running Android open-source software without Google’s built-in security protections. Google also said the devices were used for ad fraud and other digital crimes.

That is why this should get your attention. The box under your TV may look harmless. But if it came preloaded with sketchy streaming apps, required workarounds or promised too much for too little money, it may be putting your home network at risk.

Why the NetNut link is disputed

The Popa story also includes a major dispute. Security firms Qurium and Synthient say Popa is linked to NetNut, a residential proxy provider owned by Alarum Technologies, a publicly traded Israeli company. Synthient said its analysis found traffic associated with NetNut coming from devices running Popa.

Alarum disputes the reports. The company says the claims contain flawed conclusions and rejects the characterization of the technology as a botnet. Alarum also says its SDKs are meant for bandwidth-sharing with notice, consent and safeguards. That disagreement is important. But for everyday households, the most important point stays the same. If a device or app can route someone else’s traffic through your home connection, you need to know before you plug it in.

How smart TV apps can use your home internet

This problem goes beyond cheap Android TV boxes. Krebs cited research from Spur, a proxy-tracking service, that found some smart TV apps can include hidden tools that share your home internet connection with outside companies.

Spur said more than 42% of LG webOS apps it reviewed had these components. It also found similar components in more than 25% of Samsung Tizen apps reviewed.

In response, a Samsung spokesperson told CyberGuy, “Samsung wants to reassure our customers that the third-party residential proxy SDKs recently reported in the media cannot access, collect, or store any personal information from the TV, such as account credentials, viewing history, or personal files.”

Samsung said it has already restricted new app registrations that include those proxy functions.

“We are currently implementing strict platform-wide developer policies explicitly banning residential proxy SDKs, and we are working to identify and remove all apps currently available in our store that contain these components,” the company said.

“The privacy and security of our customers are our top priority, and we will continue to enforce our developer policies to ensure our platform remains safe and trustworthy,” the spokesperson added.

Samsung’s response sounds reassuring on personal TV data. Still, the bigger lesson is to be careful about what you install on any smart TV. Random games, free streaming apps or odd utilities can come with permissions or fine print that most people skip.

A TV remote makes it easy to click through prompts without reading much. That is important because an app may be able to use your home internet connection in ways you did not expect.

Warning signs your streaming box may be unsafe

Be careful with any streaming device that promises free access to paid content. Also watch for Android boxes advertised as “unlocked,” “fully loaded” or loaded with premium channels.

The FBI lists several warning signs, including devices that require Google Play Protect to be disabled, apps from suspicious marketplaces, generic streaming boxes from unknown brands, Android devices that lack Play Protect certification and unexplained internet traffic.

If you see one of those signs, unplug the device from power and disconnect it from Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

How to protect your home from cheap streaming box malware

The good news is you do not need to be a cybersecurity expert to lower your risk. Start with the devices connected to your TV, then work outward to your router, apps and passwords.

1) Avoid “fully loaded” streaming boxes

Do not buy cheap Android TV boxes that promise free movies, live sports or paid channels. Those deals can come with malware, backdoors or proxy software. Stick with trusted streaming platforms and certified devices from known brands. A bargain stops looking like a bargain when it puts your home network at risk.

2) Disconnect suspicious streaming devices

Unplug any no-name Android TV box, unlocked streaming device or gadget that required you to disable Google Play Protect. Then remove it from your router’s connected-device list. If unknown devices appear on your router, change your Wi-Fi password. After that, reconnect only the devices you recognize.

3) Check for Play Protect certification

If you use an Android TV device, check whether it is Play Protect certified. Uncertified Android devices may lack Google’s built-in security protections. A device that asks you to turn off security settings during setup deserves extra scrutiny. That setup step can be a major red flag.

4) Use only official app stores

Install apps only from official stores on your smart TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku or Android TV device. Avoid sideloading, which means installing apps from outside the official app store, unless you fully trust the source. The FBI warns that unofficial marketplaces and required app downloads can increase the chance of infection.

5) Delete unused smart TV apps

Go through the apps on your smart TV and streaming devices. Remove games, utilities, free streaming apps and anything you no longer recognize. Pay close attention to apps that mention bandwidth sharing, proxy access or earning rewards from unused internet. Those tradeoffs can be buried in language most people would skip.

6) Update your router and streaming devices

Keep your router, smart TV, streaming stick and other connected devices updated. Firmware updates often fix security holes that attackers love to exploit. Also, check whether your router supports automatic updates. Turn that on if available.

7) Check your router for unknown devices

Open your router app or router admin page and look at the connected-device list. Remove anything you do not recognize. Also, watch for devices sending unusual amounts of data. A streaming box should not be creating heavy outbound traffic when no one is watching anything.

8) Change passwords used on the device

If you signed into Google, streaming apps or other accounts on a suspicious TV box, change those passwords from a trusted phone or computer. Also, sign out of those accounts on other devices when the service gives you that option. Use a trusted password manager to create and store strong, unique passwords so one compromised account does not open the door to others. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com

9) Delete sketchy free VPNs and extensions

Remove free VPNs, free streaming apps, coupon extensions, unknown browser extensions and apps that offer to pay you for bandwidth. A trusted VPN can help protect your privacy online, especially on public Wi-Fi. However, a VPN will not clean an infected streaming box or stop a shady TV app from abusing your connection. Use it as one layer, not your only defense. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

10) Put smart devices on a guest network

Create a separate guest or IoT network for TVs, streaming boxes, cameras, printers and other smart devices. That way, a compromised gadget has less access to your phones, laptops and personal files. Many newer routers make this fairly easy inside the router app.

11) Run a full security scan

Run a full security scan on your computers and phones with trusted security software. This can help catch malware, risky downloads and suspicious files. But let’s be real here. Do not assume antivirus software can fully clean a cheap infected TV box. The FBI has warned that some compromised devices may come with malware before purchase or pick it up during setup. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

12) Replace the device if you are unsure

A factory reset may sound like enough, but it may fail to remove malware that came preinstalled or lives deeper in the device. If the box came from an unknown brand, pushed you toward sketchy apps or required security workarounds, replacing it is the safer move.

13) Report suspicious activity

If you believe your device or network has been compromised, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Also, contact your internet provider if you see strange traffic or get abuse notices tied to your IP address.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The scary part here is how ordinary this can look. A cheap streaming box sits under your TV, works well enough and promises free content. Meanwhile, your home internet connection may be getting rented out or abused in ways you never approved. That to me is scary because most people would never think to check whether their TV box is sending traffic in the background. They just want to watch the game or a movie. But if the device came from an unknown brand, promised free paid content or required sketchy setup steps, it deserves a serious look. The safest move is to unplug anything suspicious, use certified streaming devices and keep your smart TV apps under control. Free TV can become expensive fast when your home internet gets dragged into someone else’s scheme.

Would you unplug a streaming box if you found out strangers might be routing their internet traffic through your home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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The video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some time, according to a report out of Austria. The man who leads Sony’s discmaking operations, Sony DADC president Dietmar Tanzer, told ORF Salzburg that the company’s Thalgau plant produces 600,000 discs every day, half of which are for PlayStation. But since it’ll only be making 10 percent of that volume in 2028, it’s planning to retrain all 300 employees to work on optical microlenses instead.

Thalgau isn’t just one of Sony’s disc plants. It’s where the disc-making division is headquartered, and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. Sony made discs in the United States for decades, originally in Terre Haute, Indiana and later in New Jersey, but it closed the latter plant in 2011 and moved all manufacturing from Indiana to Thalgau in 2022. Today, the Indiana facility markets itself to automakers who need help packaging and assembling headlights and the like instead.

This transition didn’t happen overnight. A behind-the-scenes video from December 2024 shows that the Thalgau plant was already working on microlenses as of then:

Those lenses, too, are created using discs:

ORF Salzburg writes that Sony has now invested €30 million to manufacture these microlenses, and that mass production may begin “as early as next year.”

Microlenses are theoretically used in all kinds of emerging applications where you might want to bend light, including headsets, but it appears that Sony may cater to automakers here, too. The head of Sony’s micro optics division gave ORF Salzburg the example of “a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt.”

All of this is to say: Sony didn’t make this decision in a hurry, and it isn’t likely to change its mind despite the predictable backlash. It’s been winding down disc manufacturing for decades, and it’s ripping off one last band-aid with PlayStation.

According to Sony DADC’s website, it has produced over 26.4 billion discs to date — the vast majority, 23 billion of them, were made between 1983 and 2022 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

A new sodium-ion battery from Chinese battery giant CATL could eventually affect something much closer to home: the power grid that keeps your lights on. CATL has introduced its TENER Sodium Energy Storage System. The company says it is the world’s first field-validated sodium-ion energy storage system ready for commercial use.

Think big energy project, not phone upgrade. This battery is built for large storage sites that can support the grid. That kind of storage is getting more attention as electricity demand rises. AI data centers use a lot of power. Heat waves can strain local grids. Solar and wind power also need storage so electricity is available when people need it.

However, CATL has not announced a specific U.S. launch for this system. So, this is more about where grid storage may be headed than what your local utility will install tomorrow.

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New sodium-ion battery targets grid storage

CATL just launched the TENER Sodium Energy Storage System in Munich, Germany. The company says cumulative shipments should reach 1 gigawatt-hour by the end of 2026. Deliveries in China are expected to start in September 2026. Global deliveries are scheduled to begin in June 2027.

That timeline shows sodium-ion batteries are moving closer to commercial use. The system is designed for stationary storage. In other words, it could help store electricity from solar farms, wind projects or other power sources for later use.

That becomes important when demand jumps during hot afternoons or renewable power drops later in the day.

Sodium-ion battery storage could ease lithium pressure

Most large battery storage projects today use lithium-based systems. Lithium works well, but supply chains can be tight. Prices can also move when demand climbs. CATL says sodium is more than 1,000 times more common than lithium. The company also says sodium is widely distributed around the world.

That could make sodium-ion batteries attractive for grid storage. These batteries do not need to be tiny enough for a phone or light enough for an electric car.

CATL isn’t saying sodium will replace lithium overnight. Instead, the company says sodium and lithium could work together in future energy storage systems.

For you, the larger point is choice. More battery options could help energy companies reduce their dependence on a single material.

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CATL says the battery fits existing systems

One of CATL’s bigger claims is that TENER Sodium can fit into existing lithium iron phosphate energy storage platforms. CATL says the system shares the same physical footprint as LFP systems. That could help developers avoid changing enclosures, redesigning projects or repeating certification steps.

The system delivers more than 30 megawatt-hours of rated capacity. CATL says each module weighs about 42 metric tons, or about 46 U.S. tons. The company says only 34 units are needed for a 1-gigawatt-hour storage site. The modular design also supports flexible storage durations of 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours. That gives developers more room to tailor projects based on local power needs.

Sodium-ion battery design can handle tough conditions

Battery storage has to work in places that get brutally hot or freezing cold. CATL says TENER Sodium is designed for better extreme-temperature performance, enhanced safety and lower operating costs. The company also says its battery management system gives the sodium-ion system an additional 20 percent safety margin compared with lithium-ion batteries.

The system also uses a top-discharge airflow design that CATL says reduces heat generation by nearly 30 percent compared with conventional systems. CATL says auxiliary power consumption drops from the industry average of 2 percent to 1 percent.

That could be useful for large grid storage projects, especially in places where heat, storms or heavy power demand can strain local systems. CATL also says TENER Sodium operates at only 65 decibels, which is 10 decibels lower than conventional systems. That could help address local concerns when battery storage sites are built closer to where power is needed.

Sodium-ion battery shipments signal commercial momentum

CATL says TENER Sodium has reached full commercial maturity across technology, production capacity and supply chain readiness. The company says it has worked on sodium-ion battery research and development since 2016. CATL also says it has invested about $1.4 billion, depending on exchange rates, over the past decade.

CATL has expanded sodium-ion production lines at its Fuding base in China. The company says that adds 40 gigawatt-hours of annual capacity. Another planned base in Jining, Shandong, could support 160 gigawatt-hours of sodium-ion battery production capacity. CATL also says it signed a three-year, 60-gigawatt-hour sodium-ion energy storage order with HyperStrong in April 2026. The company described it as the world’s largest sodium-ion commercial contract.

Those numbers show CATL is treating sodium-ion storage as a serious commercial product. That said, U.S. adoption is a separate question. American utilities, regulators and developers would still need to weigh cost, performance, supply chain risk and security concerns.

What this means to you

This sodium-ion battery system may never be something you buy directly. However, the technology behind it could still affect how electricity gets stored and delivered. If sodium-ion storage proves reliable, it could give energy companies another way to support the grid. That may become more important as AI data centers increase electricity demand.

Better storage can help utilities use power more efficiently. It can also help balance supply when demand rises quickly. Still, there are limits. A new battery chemistry will not fix old transmission lines, slow permitting or local grid bottlenecks by itself.

The real takeaway is that sodium-ion batteries could become part of the grid storage mix. They are not a magic fix, but they could help energy companies build more flexible storage projects.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

CATL’s new sodium-ion battery may sound like a faraway energy story, especially since there is no announced U.S. rollout yet. Still, it is important because the grid is under growing pressure from AI data centers, extreme weather and the need to store more renewable power. What stands out is the use of sodium, which CATL says is far more common than lithium. If this technology proves reliable in major energy projects, it could give utilities another way to store power and keep the grid steadier when demand spikes.

Would you be comfortable with Chinese-made battery systems supporting part of the U.S. electric grid if they helped make power more reliable? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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