Dozens of smartphone models have built-in viruses – IT security specialists

Experts at the Russian anti-virus service Doctor Web have identified 45 smartphone models with viruses installed at the production stage. This could badly affect hundreds of thousands of smartphone users, according to the firm.

“Users told us that their anti-virus program has found malicious software on their smartphones. We’ve analyzed the situation and came to the conclusion the software was in the system area where no virus could get from outside but could only be built in during the production phase,” Doctor Web director general Boris Sharov told RIA Novosti.

He added that more detailed research revealed malicious software installed at the production phase in 45 models of phones operating on the Android system.

Among those smartphones are several models of Leagoo, Zopo Speed 7 Plus, UHANS A101, Doogee, Umi London, Tesla SP6.2, Haier T51, CherryMobile Flare and others.

While those brands are not as familiar as a number of rivals on the market, they are popular among some users around the world, Sharov explained.

“We identified a very long list of servers where this malicious software sent data from the smartphones… All the smartphones were of Chinese origin, hundreds of thousands of these smartphones’ users across the world can become victims of this virus,” he said.

Doctor Web is a Russian IT-security solutions vendor developing the Dr. Web anti-virus software for businesses and personal use, as well as anti-virus as a service since 1992.

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