Got a new Android for the Holidays? Malware may have come with it

Friends and family members who have given Android devices as a holiday present may find that they got more than what they bargained for. It has been discovered that a Chinese smartphone company by the name of Coolpad has loaded its products with backdoor malware.

“CoolReaper” deployed using OTA

The malware that goes by the codename “CoolReaper” installs banner advertisements, collects information and installs other unauthorized applications on the smartphone. Coolpad has several other brands such as Danzen and Halo that they market their Android smartphones with. The firm Palo Alto Networks, started to look at the devices after customers begin to complain about the pop-up advertisements and mysterious apps being installed. From there, the firm conducted an intensive investigation and discovered the malware was being delivered by the ROM (Read Only Memory) updates. More than likely, these updates where installed automatically using the ‘Over-the-Air’ (OTA) method – it basically relieves the user of manually updating the phone’s ROM. The malware can also disable system settings and uninstalls applications as well. Most of the customers who complained originate from China and Taiwan. At the time of this feature, there is no confirmation from customers in the U.S. or from Europe of infected Coolpad Android smartphones.

Be careful with the new toys that you got for the Holidays

Many of these phones can be found on Amazon and Ebay for a fraction of a cost compared to Samsung or HTC. This makes it an attractive offer for people who would like to purchase tech toys for their family and friends – or themselves. With any new tech purchase that will possibly be used for online banking or even purchase apps, ensure you install the latest Emsisoft Mobile Security for Android for only USD$9.95 – a very small investment compared to the amount of private information that could possibly be stolen.