Russians warned about new smartphones with built-in viruses

Information security expert Alexey Lukatsky said that the malicious program could be pre-installed on a new smartphone. He warned Russians about this in an interview with Sputnik radio.

The specialist clarified that manufacturers can install viruses on smartphones in order to receive information about user actions after selling the devices. This usually happens in China, he clarified.

“Over the past year or two, there have been a dozen cases where various malicious programs were discovered, often not
extracted from smartphones, which transmitted information to manufacturers about how the devices were used,” he emphasized.

To protect yourself from malicious code installed on a smartphone in Russia, you can use regular antivirus software. In addition, when purchasing a device, you should choose models from well-known companies, the expert recommends.

“It’s better not to buy no-name smartphones on the cheap, but to choose gadgets from more or less well-known manufacturers who will not risk their reputation by embedding malicious code into their products,” concluded Lukatsky.

Earlier, Russians were warned about a new threat to smartphones. Hackers have developed a virus for Android-based smartphones: for example, the Rasket Trojan is capable of gaining access to the personal data of the owner of the gadget, and then blackmailing and extorting money.