Google disrupted IPIDEA, one of the world's largest residential proxy networks.
IPIDEA allegedly allowed cybercriminals and state-sponsored hackers to route malicious traffic. The network used hijacked consumer IP addresses to mask activities and bypass security defenses.
Google's Threat Intelligence Group led the operation. The company seized domains controlling compromised devices. Google also rolled out automatic protections for Android users via Google Play Protect.
These actions caused a "significant degradation" of IPIDEA's operations. The disruption reduced the pool of available proxy devices by millions.