Researchers at Bitdefender found malware called ‘Midnight Mimosa’ already installed on some budget Android phones when people got them — reportedly on thousands of devices across 150+ countries. It runs as part of the phone’s system, so you can’t just uninstall it: it secretly clicks ads you never see and can relay strangers’ internet traffic through your connection. As well as some cheap budget brands, it turned up on knock-offs pretending to be Samsungs and iPhones — full writeup here.
The move
Buying a phone? Check the seller, not just the price: a ‘Samsung’ or ‘iPhone’ that’s way cheaper than normal is a reason to look harder. If apps you didn’t install keep turning up, or come back after you delete them, don’t log into anything on that phone and get a trusted adult to help you contact the seller.
Seen via BleepingComputer