Security researchers have discovered a malware named RottenSys, which is pre-installed on nearly 5 million popular smartphones worldwide.
The malware comes disguised as an app named “System Wi-Fi” and comes pre-installed on millions of brand new smartphones from Honor, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Samsung and GIONEE.
All of these affected devices were sold through the Chinese mobile phone distributor Tian Pai, based in Hangzhou, but there is no proof that the company is involved in this fraud.
According to Check Point Mobile Security Team, the team that uncovered this scam, RottenSys is an advanced malware that does not provide any secure Wi-Fi service, but instead receives almost all the sensitive rights from an Android device to trigger its malicious activity.
To cover his activity, the fake System Wi-Fi app is initially installed without the malware and does not immediately start the malicious activity. After a while space RottenSys communicates with the servers it controls to receive various packets of malicious code.
RottenSys then downloads and installs these packages using the "DOWNLOAD_WITHOUT_NOTIFICATION" license that does not require any user action or permission.
At this time, this malware delivers to all infected devices an adware item that displays pop-ups on the device's home screen as pop-ups. Even full-screen ads have been reported, with the goal of generating advertising revenue.
According to Check Point researchers, the malware has offered its creators over $115.000 in the past 10 days alone. THE research also revealed that RottenSys administrators have already begun turning millions of these infected devices into a massive botnet.
How to Check and Remove RottenSys Malware
To check if your device is infected with this malware, go to "Settings" and then "Installed Applications" (Settings> App Manager) and then look for the following possible malware package names:
- com.android.yellowcalendarz (daily diary)
- com.changmi.launcher (desktop)
- com.android.services.securewifi (System WIFI)
- com.system.service.zdsgt
If any of the above applications are in your list of installed applications, simplyslowbe her
