Homeowners with devices connected to the internet should look out for suspicious marketplaces, brands and requests to disable protection settings, the FBI in Pittsburgh said.

The FBI issued a public service announcement Thursday, June 5 warning about Internet of Things devices, which refers to devices, vehicles and appliances with internet connection.

It said cybercriminals can exploit these devices to gain unauthorized access to home networks through those devices, like TV steaming devices, aftermarket vehicle systems and digital picture frames. Most of the infected devices were manufactured in China, it said.

Criminals access the devices by adding malicious software before purchase or infecting the device as it downloads required applications during setup, the FBI said. Criminals can also add backdoors, a hidden point of entry designed to bypass security.

After the Internet of Things devices are connected to the internet, they are susceptible to becoming part of the BADBOX 2.0 network, which is used for malicious activity.

The BADBOX 2.0 botnet, a network of compromised devices that can be controlled remotely without the owners’ knowledge, can infect other devices by requiring downloading malicious apps from unofficial marketplaces. The original BADBOX, which consisted of Android operation system devices compromised with malware, was identified in 2023 and disrupted in 2024, the FBI said.

The FBI said homeowners should look for suspicious marketplaces, requests to disable protection settings, generic or unrecognized brands advertising free content, Android devices not Google Play protected and unexplained internet traffic as potential signs of BADBOX activity. Suspicious devices should be disconnected from the internet.

To minimize exposure to these networks, homeowners should monitor internet traffic, avoid downloading from unofficial marketplaces and keep systems up to date.

Victims of these scams should report them at ic3.gov.