Overview
Google, in a coordinated effort with industry partners, has successfully shut down the IPIDEA proxy service—a vast global network that was secretly built by hijacking the internet connections of millions of unsuspecting users. This infrastructure was used extensively by state-backed hackers and cybercriminals to conceal their attacks.
How the Network Operated
IPIDEA, which also operated under names like 360 Proxy and Luna Proxy, hid malicious code within seemingly ordinary free apps and VPNs. Once installed, this code enrolled a user’s device into a residential proxy network without their knowledge. The person’s home IP address was then sold to others, who used it to route their own internet traffic.
Primary Threats Posed
Enabled Cybercrime: The network served as key infrastructure for more than 550 identified threat groups linked to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. It allowed them to mask their location while conducting espionage, fraud, and attacks on businesses and governments.
Harmed Device Owners: Users with compromised apps unknowingly had their internet connections used for malicious activities. This put their home networks at risk and could have led to their IP addresses being permanently flagged for involvement in cyberattacks.
Actions Taken by Google & Partners
The takedown involved a multi-step strategy:
Legal seizure of the network’s core operational domains.
Activation of Google Play Protect to automatically find and remove harmful apps from Android devices worldwide.
Collaboration with companies like Cloudflare and Lumen to dismantle supporting infrastructure and prevent the network from re-forming.
Moving Forward
This operation significantly disrupts a major source of “gray market” proxy services. Google stresses that lasting security requires continued vigilance from users, greater care from app developers in vetting third-party code, and ongoing industry cooperation to combat the illicit networks that enable cybercrime.
For details, please read:
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/disrupting-largest-residential-proxy-network922 proxy alternatives:
https://momoproxy.com 
