Security researchers found phones made for low-income people prone to hacks even before the device is switched on.
A researcher at Malware bytes, a malware detection firm, recently found a phone model ANS UL40 with pre-installed and unremovable malware.
American network solutions, a company making wireless devices designed this phone and it was provided through US-funded Lifeline Assistance program for low-income people.
The phone is said to have a compromised Settings app and Wireless Update app. It comes infected with Android/Trojan.Downloader.Wotby.SEK. The Settings app control all the mobile device’s settings.
The researcher Nathan Collier also found malicious codes in the app and text file that had a list of “top apps” to download from a third-party app store.
“There is enough evidence that this Settings app has the ability to download apps from a third-party app store. This is not okay,” Nathan said.
The Wireless Update can auto-install apps without user consent or knowledge, and also functions as the mobile device’s main source for updating security patches and operating system updates. This makes it to be considered as a potentially unwanted programme riskware that can function to be used for malicious purposes, leading to security vulnerability, software incompatibility, or legal violations.
It is particularly known to auto-install Android/PUP.Riskware.Autoins.Fota that can again download various variants of Android/Trojan.HiddenAds.
Nathan detected that it installed four different variants of unwanted hidden ads posing a threat to the security.
Previously, security researchers found similar pre-installed malware in other models that include ANS L51 and UMX U683CL.
