Banking Trojan Found in Over 40 Models of Low-Cost Android Smartphones

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...er-40-models-of-low-cost-android-smartphones/

Spoiler: TLDR;

Leagoo M5
Leagoo M5 Plus
Leagoo M5 Edge
Leagoo M8
Leagoo M8 Pro
Leagoo Z5C
Leagoo T1 Plus
Leagoo Z3C
Leagoo Z1C
Leagoo M9
ARK Benefit M8
Zopo Speed 7 Plus
UHANS A101
Doogee X5 Max
Doogee X5 Max Pro
Doogee Shoot 1
Doogee Shoot 2
Tecno W2
Homtom HT16
Umi London
Kiano Elegance 5.1
iLife Fivo Lite
Mito A39
Vertex Impress InTouch 4G
Vertex Impress Genius
myPhone Hammer Energy
Advan S5E NXT
Advan S4Z
Advan i5E
STF AERIAL PLUS
STF JOY PRO
Tesla SP6.2
Cubot Rainbow
EXTREME 7
Haier T51
Cherry Mobile Flare S5
Cherry Mobile Flare J2S
Cherry Mobile Flare P1
NOA H6
Pelitt T1 PLUS
Prestigio Grace M5 LTE
BQ 5510

 

You get what you pay for. There's no such thing as a free lunch. If it seems too good to be true, it is. Full story at 11.

 

Mostly Chinese phones according to the article.

 

Most likely the same with cheap Android TV Boxes.

 

Man, I'm too paranoid to put my bank credentials on "normal" Android phone. I would probably cut of my hands before I put any bank info on one of these Chinese phones...

 

I think it's less about Chinese versus non-Chinese, and more about $80 phones versus $800 phones. When you're selling a fully-functional smartphone for $80, you have to have a secondary income stream from someone besides the handset purchaser. Blu, a Florida-based company that sells super-cheap Android phones, has been blocked from selling phones on Amazon over similar issues.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/31/16072786/amazon-blu-suspended-android-spyware-user-data-theft

And on the other hand, you'll notice that high-end phones from Huawei and Motorola aren't on this list. Because this sort of software isn't tolerated on $400-$800 phones regardless of country of origin.

 

Mitlov, don't kid yourself. OnePlus are doing the same thing. They got caught twice already stealing data and Credit card info.

 

I'm not defending OnePlus. Classic example of, if it seems too good to be true, it is. They sell high end hardware at low or medium prices. Obviously something is up, even though this time they're not on this list. I knew about their other issues and given their unbelievable pricing, I'm not surprised.

Motorola, however, prices its products appropriately and predictably for what you get.

 

It's not just low prices that should raise a red flag as far as security is concerned. Low-margin products from a small company generally translates into very limited R&D. Flashing an open-source, trusted ROM, such as LineageOS 15.1, will bring you peace of mind in the sense that you know what it comes bundled with, and the security patch level will be recent or the latest. I would never have bought a Xiaomi Mi 5 Pro if I didn't feel confident it would have decent developer traction, and I would have flashed a phone from OnePlus out of similar concerns.

Heck, Google themselves didn't really pick up the fight against iOS in terms of security until the OG Pixel, but neglect is of course not as bad as intentional backdoors or outright trojans.

 

someone who should not be on ANY list but the orange ****gibbon has them there is Hauwei! They make great products, they DON'T steal your data....take off the tinfoil hats America, and they are reasonably priced.

 

I'd say their sub-brand, Honor, is the value oriented division. Huawei is a premium brand like any other, from what I've seen. Oppo is more premium than most too.

 

This "just in". Most android phone makers admit to FAKING security updates. Samsung have been found to "install" 12 updates for security on their J models and the updates were simply not there even though stated they were. Various makers are also guilty of doing this.....Glad I use an apple where security is a little more serious. At the expense of customizability of course, which I am fine with.

https://www.androidcentral.com/numerous-android-oems-discovered-be-lying-about-security-patches

 

I think the only android phones NOT to lie about security installs were googles lineup and essential. The rest had some sort of Fake security updates "installed".

 

FWIW LineageOS and other custom ROMs based on it do get security updates in a timely fashion, too. (=

 

I don't root, and load custom roms. Not fooling with that. If it does not work off the shelf, I am not messing with it.

 

Forgot to post about this, but it happened again.

Malware Found in the Firmware of 141 Low-Cost Android Devices

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...the-firmware-of-141-low-cost-android-devices/

Spoiler: the list

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RXkReFfgyBhri-B5ZFsTPk8asRLi_MKtFQnbDYhpf50/edit#gid=0