New Malware Targets Car Infotainment Systems, Feeds Global Botnet

Security researchers at Kaspersky have identified a new strain of malware built specifically to target car head units — the touchscreen infotainment systems found in many modern vehicles. This marks a notable shift in cybercriminal tactics, as attackers expand beyond traditional computers and phones into connected devices embedded in everyday products, including cars.

The malware has been linked to BadBox, a botnet that has already compromised millions of devices worldwide. Botnets like BadBox typically hijack infected devices to carry out large-scale attacks, such as ad fraud, credential theft, or distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) campaigns, often without the device owner ever noticing.

While this particular threat targets vehicle infotainment systems rather than business IT directly, it highlights a growing trend: attackers are increasingly targeting internet-connected devices of all kinds, including those SMBs may not think of as 'computers' — smart displays, connected appliances, and vehicle fleet technology. As businesses adopt more connected devices, the attack surface for botnets like BadBox continues to expand.