Security researchers have discovered more examples of Android devices with pre-installed malware. Security firm G DATA found that more than 24 devices from different manufacturers have been hacked straight out of the box.
Manufacturers such as Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi have spyware pre-installed in their firmware. G DATA suspects that intermediaries are modifying its software devices to steal user data, with the aim of displaying their own ads, which brings them very large profits.
Of course, as happened in 2010's Vodafone in Spain, there may also be inadvertent equipment contamination from the supply chain or deliberate government spy interventions.
We should mention that many of the models released with malware are currently circulating in China.
The pre-infected devices has become a very serious privacy problem for smartphone users. As you understand downloading apps only from Google Play Store, avoiding strange websites and generally taking common sense precautions does not help in such cases.
Already in March, the Bluebox Security discovered pre-installed malware on Xiaomi Mi4. Xiaomi replied by saying that the devices containing the malicious software were not genuine. Independently of the blame, the incident illustrates the general risk.
At the end of last year, Palo Alto Networks, he discovered that the high-end Androids from Coolpad contained pre-installed CoolReaper malware.
Although little known in the West, Coolpad is the third largest manufacturer smartphone in China.
