"Android Mobile Devices From Top Vendors in China Have Pre-installed Malware"
A new study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh and Trinity College Dublin discovered that high-end Android devices sold in China are shipped with spyware. Using static and dynamic code analysis techniques, the researchers examined the data sent by the preloaded system apps on Android devices from three of China's most popular smartphone vendors: Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Oppo Realme. The researchers found system, vendor, and third-party apps with dangerous permissions. According to the researchers, the apps were designed to stealthily exfiltrate user and device data, including system information, geolocation, user profiles, social relationships, and call history. The smartphones examined by the researchers were observed transferring data to the device manufacturer and Chinese mobile network providers. This malicious software could be used to spy on individuals and reveal their identities, putting their privacy at risk. This article continues to discuss the researchers' findings regarding top-of-the-line Android mobile devices sold in China being shipped with malware.