Google says it has dismantled what it describes as the world’s largest residential proxy network, a system that secretly turned private user devices into traffic relays for third parties. The company identified a Chinese firm called IPIDEA as the operator and, with a U.S. federal court order, shut down key websites and backend infrastructure to halt the network’s operation.
A residential proxy network works by routing internet traffic through real consumer devices, masking the true origin of requests. According to Google, this setup allowed attackers to use smartphones, PCs, and smart home hardware as exit points for activities such as data scraping and distributed denial-of-service attacks, effectively concealing their identities behind innocent users’ IP addresses.
Google estimates that millions of devices were enrolled in IPIDEA’s system, including at least nine million Android smartphones. Most users reportedly joined the network unknowingly by installing free apps, games, or desktop software that contained hidden software development kits. These components were not overtly malicious, but they granted third-party access that enabled devices to be used as proxy nodes.
The company says more than 600 applications across multiple download sources were found to include IPIDEA’s code. While Google Play Protect can detect and block such SDKs within the Play Store ecosystem, apps from third-party marketplaces remain a higher risk.
IPIDEA told the Wall Street Journal that its services were intended for legitimate business use, though it acknowledged that criminal actors had previously abused the network. In 2025, attackers reportedly exploited a vulnerability to create a botnet known as “Kimwolf,” which was linked to large-scale cyberattacks.
Google says its court-backed takedown has stopped the ongoing misuse of affected devices. Security experts continue to advise users to avoid installing apps from unverified sources, keep devices updated, and consider additional mobile security tools to reduce exposure to similar threats.
