Pre-Installed Malware on Some Tecno Phones Stole Money, Data From Unsuspecting Users in Africa

An investigation by the mobile security firm Secure-D confirmed that some Tecno phones sold in Africa and other parts of the world came pre-installed with malware.

The infected phones would secretly download apps and attempt to trick users into subscribing for paid services without their consent.

Transsion, the Chinese company that owns Tecno, acknowledged the presence of the Triada and xHelper programs on the phones and attributed the problem to an unidentified “vendor in the supply chain process,” according to a report published by Buzzfeed news.

A spokesperson said Transsion did not profit from the malware, and they declined to say how many handsets were infected.

Why the Infected Tecno Phones Represents a Huge Problem

  • LOW PRICES = LOW SECURITY: Companies like Transsion are able to sell phones at rock bottom prices to low-income consumers in places like Africa in part because these devices don’t include the same kind of robust security features that are standard on more expensive handsets.
  • CUSTOMERS ARE POWERLESS: These phones came with the two malware apps preinstalled, so there was no way for customers to delete the apps. These aren’t like apps downloaded from app stores that can easily be removed. Many users weren’t even aware that they were hiding in a remote folder gobbling up data, compromising privacy and fooling people into spending money.

Read the full report on the Buzzfeed News website.

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The post Pre-Installed Malware on Some Tecno Phones Stole Money, Data From Unsuspecting Users in Africa appeared first on The China Africa Project.



source https://chinaafricaproject.com/2020/08/25/pre-installed-malware-on-some-tecno-phones-stole-money-data-from-unsuspecting-users-in-africa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pre-installed-malware-on-some-tecno-phones-stole-money-data-from-unsuspecting-users-in-africa

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