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Chinese Malware Found Preinstalled on US Government-Funded Phones

posted by Fnord666 on Sunday January 12 2020, @11:17PM   
from the pre-owned dept.

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for Anonymous_Coward:

Chinese Malware Found Preinstalled on US Government-Funded Phones:

Budget Android smartphones offered through a US government initiative for low-income Americans come with preinstalled, unremovable Chinese malware, researchers report.

These low-cost smartphones are sold by Assurance Wireless, a federal Lifeline Assistance program under Virgin Mobile. Lifeline, supported by the federal Universal Service Fund, is a government program launched in 1985 to provide discounted phone service to low-income households. The Unimax (UMX) U686CL ($35) is the most inexpensive smartphone it sells.

In October 2019, Malwarebytes began to receive complaints in its support system from users of the UMX U686CL who reported some pre-installed apps on their government-funded phones were malicious. Researchers purchased one of these smartphones to verify customers' claims.

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Original Submission

• Re:Obamaphone? Re:Obamaphone? (Score: 5, Touché) by driverless on Monday January 13 2020, @02:30AM (2 children)

  by driverless (4770) on Monday January 13 2020, @02:30AM (#942617)

  If it's an Android phone then it comes with even more pre-installed Google malware that puts any Chinese add-ons to shame.

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Moderation		+4
  Touché=4, Total=4
  Extra 'Touché' Modifier		0
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		5

• Problem is, your love for China is unrequited (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 13 2020, @04:30AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 13 2020, @04:30AM (#942645)

  It is an abusive relationship. Beware.

  Parent

• Re:Obamaphone? (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 14 2020, @04:26AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 14 2020, @04:26AM (#942992)

  Samsung installs unremovable Chinese spyware by default.

  Parent