The Popcorn Time app, known for streaming torrents, has been abandoned for years but remains on millions of devices. Researchers discovered that its updater was still active, posing risks of creating a botnet due to its outdated security protocols. Eye Security intervened by registering one of the abandoned domains to send an update that disables the updater on affected devices.
Despite ethical concerns, the researchers emphasized that their action was necessary to mitigate risks for users. They reported sending over 2 million updates before ceasing their efforts and transferring the domains to a web security non-profit.
Users should check for outdated software like Popcorn Time on their devices, as it may pose security risks. Watch for updates from Eye Security and similar organizations addressing vulnerabilities in abandoned applications, as they may implement further protective measures.