Security researchers found that some Chinese phones (most notably Tecno-made) shipped with money-stealing malware.
It subscribed users to paid services and couldn’t even be removed.
The phone maker blamed it on a vendor in the supply chain.

While many politicians are focused on potential spying from Huawei phones, there may be a more practical security risk in the wild: out-of-the-box malware.

Secure-D and BuzzFeed News have learned that some low-cost Tecno W2 phones shipped to countries around the world infected with malware meant to steal money from customers. The Triada and xHelper software would quietly download apps and subscribe to paid services. This caused unexpected bills and data overages for buyers who were already some of the most disadvantaged in the world.

Chinese phones with money-stealing malware?
While pre-loaded malware on phones isn’t a completely new concept, Malwarebytes analyst Nathan Collier told BuzzFeed that Triada and xHelper were particularly insidious. While they create pop-ups and other headaches expected from this kind of malware, they can’t be removed with a factory reset.

The phones mainly reached African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. However, some devices also reached Indonesia and Myanmar. Secure-D said it blocked 844,000 malware transactions between March and December 2019.



The best budget phones you can buy
Transsion, the China-based company behind the Tecno brand, has pinned the malware on an unnamed “vendor in the supply chain process.” It said that it delivered fixes for Triada in March 2018 and xHelper in late 2019. However, the issue doesn’t appear to have gone away. Secure-D said it was still blocking Triada and xHelper on Transsion phones through April 2020, and it may simply be dormant.

Companies like TCL have had similar problems with preloaded malware, Secure-D added.

There’s no evidence of malicious intent on Transsion’s part. However, this doesn’t help the reputation of Chinese phones at a moment when many are already anxious. It also leaves many would-be buyers in a difficult position. Tecno is appealing precisely because it’s one of the few brands aimed primarily at low-income buyers. Customers might not have many alternatives if they’re worried enough to avoid Tecno entirely.

Source: https://www.androidauthority.com/chinese-phones-malware-developing-nations-1150962/?fbclid=IwAR2oLhr3J9y3YRebxQZPlQcOfUyGLXbUvOHMx6EN2AG3JTddipjw4wt35Lo

Chinese people are crooks
And our lame duck SON &FCPC won't even bother to do anything about it until there's a major outcry

Bullshit product

Omihanifa:
Chinese people are crooks
And our lame duck SON &FCPC won't even bother to do anything about it until there's a major outcry

seriously!

Nawa oo

I said it! I knew it!! I suspected it!!!

Omihanifa:
Chinese people are crooks
And our lame duck SON &FCPC won't even bother to do anything about it until there's a major outcry

@Op, You are right,most Chinese phones just start downloading Bullshits once they gets access to data(network),seriously we need to wake up cause Chinese are monitoring all our moves and are also ripping us up

Some of U are funny.. Ur ignorance is embarasing... U claim chinese shipped fones are stealing ur data and U went ahead to mention tecno.. Is Tecno shipped from China?? Tecno isn't even assembled in China talk more shipping from China

SIONKPO1:
@Op, You are right,most Chinese phones just start downloading Bullshits once they gets access to data(network),seriously we need to wake up cause Chinese are monitoring all our moves and are also ripping us up

Ripping U of what exactly? Some of U need to take a chill pill and stop getting paranoid.

Nbotee:
Some of U are funny.. Ur ignorance is embarasing... U claim chinese shipped fones are stealing ur data and U went ahead to mention tecno.. Is Tecno shipped from China?? Tecno isn't even assembled in China talk more shipping from China

The OS bruh, the OS...

iPhones are assembled in China but OS are done and sent out from Cupertino (California).

Transsion assembles their phones in Africa (Ethiopia abi where) but OS straight from their HQ in Shenzhen (China).

Google Pixel phones are done in China but the OS is from (drum roll please)... Mountain View (also California!)

Need I go on?

There's lots of free information about how OS and UI works (XDA and the comment section of Android-related threads on reddit) but short of it is OEMs like Transsion add/modify stock Android OS to their taste, adding several goodies or annoying bits like spywares, malwares, ads, trackers and whatnot.

Tecno devices are always flagged by incapsula

Nbotee:
Some of U are funny.. Ur ignorance is embarasing... U claim chinese shipped fones are stealing ur data and U went ahead to mention tecno.. Is Tecno shipped from China?? Tecno isn't even assembled in China talk more shipping from China

Read before you comment.

Nbotee:


Ripping U of what exactly? Some of U need to take a chill pill and stop getting paranoid.

lol

lalasticlala
Take this to front page. It's from a trust site, any android guru will tell you that.

Yeah
I noticed this malware on my dad's phone.
Tecno w2. A phone he bought just to read news.

It's always downloading one stupid gaming app anytime the data connection is on.

Once you open you data, it immediately opens chrome browser and loads a certain app gallery page.

Not contented with their overpricing, na to force-subscribe you to a service and download useless apps without your knowledge. Nonsense.

Reading the article, i noticed that transsion's biggest market, "Nigeria" is not even mentioned, why? Nigerian transsion users are not tech savvy, the rest are simply illiterates

SIONKPO1:

how sensible does it sound to you that #200 will produce #15m,
abeg chop am alone,cause me I no need am

U well so?

Nbotee:


U well so?

lol

Faithful4real:
lalasticlala
Take this to front page. It's from a trust site, any android guru will tell you that.

don't you know there have being brought by Tecno!

Nbotee:
Some of U are funny.. Ur ignorance is embarasing... U claim chinese shipped fones are stealing ur data and U went ahead to mention tecno.. Is Tecno shipped from China?? Tecno isn't even assembled in China talk more shipping from China

my brother!
it won't pays you to read and comprehend!

this is a confirm international source

Stop being a victim,create your own phones.

na wa o, i havent experienced any of such before on my Camon phone

NightFood:
na wa o, i havent experienced any of such before on my Camon phone

ekuke u even dey use tecno? Na to just market be ur own na

womenareapes:
my brother!
it won't pays you to read and comprehend!

this is a confirm international source

It's a false report.

me too o, i wonder where these false reports are coming from

NightFood:
na wa o, i havent experienced any of such before on my Camon phone

sunshineV:
ekuke u even dey use tecno? Na to just market be ur own na

yes I'm a proud tecno user

Go to app deactivate app that downloads automatically or block it auto internal working simple.. Tecno is still the best cheap android... What do you keep in your phone for China to steal lol