Online gambling operators need to be aware of a new variety of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that recently plagued websites around the globe.

This week, technology giant Google was forced to purge roughly 300 Android apps from its Google Play online market after researchers uncovered hidden malware that allowed a new botnet dubbed WireX to commandeer 70k mobile phones in over 100 countries to maliciously bombard websites with data.

The apps in question were mundane products offering ringtones, media players and the like, and were programmed to run in the background, allowing the WireX botnet’s organizers to harness the infected devices even when the dodgy apps weren’t being used.

In some instances, the people behind WireX contacted targeted websites to demand ransom before unleashing their botnet on those who didn’t pay. The attacks began slowly at the start of August, ramping up dramatically mid-month, after which researchers began sleuthing the source of the attacks.