Hackers are exploiting the vast number of insecure internet - connected devices to create botnets , spread by malicious apps , to attack websites and services . In one instance , 300 such apps were spread across the internet Play app store , to create a website called WireX. When installed , the apps took advantage of the linked devices to send enormous amounts of spoof traffic to websites , forcing some services offline . In the 2000s , hackers were at one point able to control over 800 IP addresses in 100 countries . It has now been disabled , and the apps removed from Google Play .
Hackers are exploiting the vast number of insecure web-connected devices to create botnets, spread by malicious apps, to attack websites and services. In one instance, 300 such apps were spread across the Google Play app store, to create a botnet called WireX. When installed, the apps took control of the linked devices to send enormous amounts of spoof traffic to websites, forcing some services offline. In the attack, hackers were at one point able to control over 120,000 IP addresses in 100 countries. It has now been disabled, and the apps removed from Google Play.