Despite ethical concerns, the team believed the only option was to act, as the update process was inherently risky. Over 2 million update downloads were sent before the researchers transferred the domains to the Shadowserver Foundation. The incident highlights the dangers of outdated software and the need for continuous security updates.
October 23, 2026
Abandoned Popcorn Time Apps Pose Cybersecurity Risk
Old Popcorn Time apps still running on millions of devices could be exploited to create a botnet, researchers warn.
Impact
The discovery underscores the risks of unpatched software and the potential for widespread botnet attacks if vulnerabilities are not addressed.