News: These Android Phones Could Be Affected by Adups' Chinese Spyware

News: These Android Phones Could Be Affected by Adups' Chinese Spyware
Kryptowire, a company specializing in mobile security solutions, released a report on Tuesday, November 15 that exposed firmware in a number of Android devices that was collecting personally identifying information (PII) and uploading it to third-party servers without users' knowledge.Unlike malware you might accidentally download on the internet, this software comes preinstalled on a number of entry-tier smartphones.Shanghai Adups Technology Co., a Chinese provider of professional FOTA (firmware over-the-air) update services to OEMs, mobile network operators, and semiconductor vendors around the world, was said to have created the PII-stealing code at the request of an unknown Chinese client. Adups has since apologized, stating that this data was collected in error and was deleted.Don't Miss: How to Test for Adups' Spyware on Your Phone—& Disable ItAccording to the report, Kryptowire was able to identify specific files being uploaded to servers belonging to the Adups company "every 72 hours for text messages and call log information, and every 24 hours for other PII data," via two system apps, com.adups.fota.sysoper and com.adups.fota, which cannot be disabled by the user. An example of the sort of information being transmitted was provided:It is worth noting that [the] user's text messages are encrypted using DES. Below is an example entry of the dc_msg_key.json file:{"dc_date": "2016-09-13 17:01:07","dc_type": "1","keyword": "HUnrP/GTiH/aEPM8bVXmaw==","md5": "B865B089A298D529B4602A3D359FE4C8","msg_date": "1473798497903","msg_type": "1","tell": "+1540XXXXXXX"}During our analysis we identified the necessary key to encrypt and decrypt these messages. The aforementioned entry in plaintext is: "Be there in 5".
— Kryptowire
What Phones Are Affected by Adups' Spyware?So far, the only device models in the US that have been shown to be affected were sold on Amazon by device manufacturer BLU, despite rumors that Huawei and ZTE smartphones also were affected.The spyware-laced BLU models are:R1 HD Energy X Plus 2 Studio Touch Advance 4.0 L2 Neo XL Energy Diamond For their part, Amazon has made any affected product unavailable for purchase. BLU has issued the following statement:BLU Products has identified and quickly removed a recent security issue caused by a 3rd party application which had been collecting unauthorized personal data in the form of text messages, call logs, and contacts from customers using a limited number of BLU mobile devices.Our customer's privacy and security are of the [utmost] importance and priority.The affected application has since been self-updated and the functionality verified to be no longer collecting or sending this information.
— BLU ProductsIf we discover any other Android phones that are/were affected by Adups' spyware, we'll make sure to add them to this list. So far, aside from Huawei and ZTE, Google and LG have also stated that their branded devices do not carry Adups' firmware. OnePlus and HTC are still investigating.

How to Check Your Phone for Adups' SpywareIf you have a BLU device and want to see if your device is currently vulnerable to this spyware, you can go to Settings -> Apps, then select the three-dot menu in the right corner. Next, select "Show system," then scroll down and open "Wireless Update." Devices with version numbers 5.0.x through 5.3.x are affected. Those listing version number 5.4.0.3.004 are not. If yours has not been self-updated yet, you can contact BLU for further details. A BLU phone that is not affected. Images via BLU Products If you have another brand Android phone and want to see if you're vulnerable, make sure to check out the guide below, which will show you how to test for Adups' spyware, as well as how to disable it.Don't Miss: How to Test for Adups' Spyware on Your Phone—& Disable ItWe have reached out for more details from Kryptowire and will update this post when we receive any new information.Follow Gadget Hacks on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube Follow Android Hacks on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest Follow WonderHowTo on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+
Cover image by BLU Products



The only way to stop annoying ads while browsing using Firefox is installing Adblock for Firefox browser. Mozilla Firefox as one of the most popular browser for smartphone and computer has a way of blocking ads displaying while browsing with the Mozilla browser using its own ad-on called 'Mozilla Firefox adblock' to block annoying ads.
Adblock Plus - Get this Extension for 🦊 Firefox (en-US)

Apple Releases 'Second' iOS 12.4 Public Beta for iPhone to


The battery icon in the top right corner of your iPhone lets you know how much power your phone has left, but it doesn't offer much detail. From a quick glance at the tiny icon, it's hard to say whether you have 40 percent of your battery left or 25 percent, and that's can be a difference that results in hours of more use.
How to Check Bluetooth Headphone Battery Status Using iOS 9


News: Bluetooth 5 Is Here—But It Won't Make Your Headphones Sound Better News: Dying Cells Do Tell Tales & What We Learn Can Help Us Stop Cancer from Spreading News: Use Android's Airdrop-Like Nearby Service to Share Things More Easily
Check Out Microsoft's AirDrop-Like Windows 10 Near Share in


Hacking someone's Facebook account gives you access to all their con-tacts, and all their secrets. However, you need to find the right app for it. This article will give you a detailed overview of the 10 best Facebook hacker apps to hack Facebook online.
How to hack someones facebook messenger 2019?


More importantly, though, you'll need to choose the right size ceiling fan, according to the size of the room. Ceiling fans come in a variety of sizes ranging from 30 inches for small rooms to 70 inches for larger rooms. Fans that measure 52 inches are the most commonly used.
How to Shoot Great Video With Your Smartphone


How to Create Your Own Font (In 6 Simple Steps) If you're a little more serious about creating a unique font, and want more customization options, there are several free tools to choose from. However, before we get to the software itself, there are a couple of introductory steps we need to take.
How to Create WordPress Theme from Scratch : Beginners Guide


How to Get Custom Ringtones on iPhone without iTunes(Free) If you want to make your own ringtones for iPhone with songs in your music library, you can use a ringtones maker for iPhone XR/XS, iPhone X/8/8 Plus, iPhone 7/7 Plus, iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPhone 6/6 Plus, iPhone 5/5s/5c and iPhone 4/4s.
How to set any song as iPhone ringtone without using iTunes


How To: Reveal Saved Website Passwords in Chrome and Firefox with This Simple Browser Hack News: Turn Your Android into a Workhorse with These 11 Productivity Apps How To: Have Your Friends Ever Used Pandora on Your Computer? Well, You Can Steal Their Passwords
View & Export Saved Password in Chrome & Firefox Browser


If you use an email provider like iCloud, Google, or Yahoo, Mail can automatically set up your email account with just your email address and password. Here's how: Go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts, then tap Add Account. Tap your email provider. Enter your email address and password. Tap Next and wait for Mail to verify your account.
If you can't send or receive email on your Mac - Apple Support

How to Root Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Using ODIN for Windows


How To Copy And Paste On An iPhone. Before you can copy anything on an iPhone, first you need to select it. In other words, you need to tell your iPhone, "This is the text I want to copy." Some people say highlighting text instead of selecting, but since select is the "proper" term, that's what we'll use in this article.
How to Cut, Copy, and Paste on Your iPhone 4S - dummies


How To: Pimp your toy helicopter with a spy camera Extract a spy quality camera & mini-DVR from a Barbie Video Girl fashion doll Pimp your laptop with paint,
Spy Helicopter Camera : Make Your Own! | Cool DIY Project

0 comments:

Post a Comment