Mountain View, January 31, 2026 — The Europe Today: Google has disrupted what it described as one of the world’s largest residential proxy networks, following an extensive investigation by its Threat Intelligence Group into a covert operation involving millions of internet-connected devices and a Chinese firm known as Ipidea.
According to Google, the network relied on applications installed on smartphones, personal computers, and smart devices, which were then leased out as internet gateways. This allowed third parties to route their online traffic through ordinary users’ devices, effectively masking their real identities and making activity appear as though it originated from legitimate residential connections rather than from threat actors.
The system, commonly referred to as a residential proxy network, enabled paying customers to browse the internet anonymously by redirecting traffic through other people’s devices. Google said Ipidea operated the service under several brand names and distributed its software across millions of platforms, including media players and mobile phones.
As part of the operation, Google obtained a U.S. federal court order to shut down dozens of websites and backend systems associated with the network. The company also removed hundreds of related applications from Android devices. In total, more than nine million devices are believed to have been disconnected from the proxy network.
Google further revealed that in 2025, hackers exploited vulnerabilities within Ipidea’s infrastructure and gained control of at least two million devices. These compromised systems were reportedly transformed into a large botnet, known as “Kimwolf,” which was used to carry out denial-of-service attacks that temporarily forced multiple websites offline.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Ipidea had acknowledged using aggressive expansion tactics, including promotions on hacker forums, although the company later stated that such practices had been discontinued.
Google said the takedown underscores the growing risks posed by large-scale proxy networks and emphasized the need for continued cooperation between technology companies and legal authorities to protect users and online infrastructure.
