FBI Probes Alarum Unit Over Home Devices Turned Into Proxy Network Without Consent
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jul 2
FBI Probes Alarum Unit Over Home Devices Turned Into Proxy Network Without Consent
1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jul 2
Summary
Documents reviewed by Bloomberg and people familiar with the matter show the FBI is investigating whether an Alarum Technologies subsidiary linked customers’ home internet devices into a residential proxy network without their consent.
Residential proxy networks route traffic through household connections so users appear to be browsing from another location, masking where requests actually originate.
Those networks have legitimate commercial uses, including regional website testing, and can also let consumers access location-restricted streams, widening the stakes of the probe beyond a niche cybersecurity issue.
A company claims users consent to sharing internet; the FBI alleges a botnet. What is the truth hidden in user agreements?
Is your internet connection secretly being sold to train AI models? An FBI probe links a botnet to mass data-scraping.
Millions of smart devices allegedly form a secret criminal network. How can you know if your home has been compromised?
NetNut Proxy Network Dismantled: FBI and Google Target Popa Botnet Hijacking Hundreds of Thousands of Devices
Overview
In July 2026, the FBI and Google, with industry partners, disrupted NetNut's global proxy network by targeting its core infrastructure and seizing key domains. NetNut, operated by Alarum Technologies, was identified as running on top of the Popa botnet. The domain seizures disabled critical command and control services, severely impacting the network's ability to function. This takedown dealt a substantial blow to the illicit proxy market, which often relies on compromised devices, and marked a significant step in combating large-scale cyber threats that exploit residential networks for malicious activities.