Malware-infected Android smartphones are lurking within the supply chain as per a recent blog post from Check Point Software Technologies researcher named Oren Koriat. Reportedly, the malware is found among several mobile devices by some of the most popular smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, ZTE, Oppo, Vivo, Asus and Lenovo.
What's interesting in the malware-infected Android smartphones is the location of its malicious software. Koriat's blog revealed that the infection is not located in the original vendor's ROM. For this reason, it can be reckoned that the malware was injected into the mobile devices within the supply chain.
This means that the said malware-infected Android smartphones already contain the infectious app just before customers get their hands on the mobile phones. Additionally, the blog also claimed that six among the 38 infected phones had a malware installed using system privileges. So, what does this imply?
As pointed out by a report from Tech Times, such malicious apps installed with system privileges cannot be removed by owners solely. That's because uninstalling this kind of malware requires a re-flashing of the smartphone. Seemingly, users must seek technical help to rid their devices of the malware.
Meanwhile, Check Point claimed that the malware includes information stealers such as Sloker and Loki. These dangerous apps are known to steal important information that can be used to rob users. However, the San Carlos, California-based cybersecurity firm did not reveal the company names where the 38 infected devices belonged.
What they confirmed is that these mobile phones were from a "large telecommunications company" and "a multinational technology company," reportedly. However, it remains to be seen whether both companies are the main targets of the people behind the malware installation. Further investigation is necessary to figure out if this is only a beginning of a bigger threat to Android phone users.
As it seems, one can conclude that avoiding suspicious links and apps is no longer enough to stay away from viruses because of the discovery of the recent malware-infected Android smartphones. But as pointed out by WLWT News, direct purchases from legitimate and verified vendors may decrease the risk of getting your hands on an infected device. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts by dropping a comment below!
