Ask Yourself, Does My Smartphone Have Malware Preinstalled?

You might take extreme measures to keep your business’s devices from contracting the odd virus or malware, but what if all of your efforts are for nothing? You could have the greatest preventative solutions out there, but you can still get infected by some nasty threats, the reason being that the device was infected before you even started using it. You might be surprised by how often this happens, even to wary business owners.

Two unnamed companies had the misfortune of discovering this after researchers found malware on 40 different company-owned devices. To make matters worse, Check Point, the firm that discovered this malware, believes that the malware was installed on the device before it had even left the factory. To resolve these troubles, the devices required a full reinstall of the operating system to ensure that the malware was removed, the reason being that the malware was installed through system privileges.

The following devices were infected:

• Galaxy Notes 2, 3, 4, and 5
• Galaxy Note Edge
• Galaxy Tab 2 and S2
• Galaxy S7 and S4
• Galaxy A5
• LG G4
• Xiaomi MI 4i and Redmi
• ZTE x500
• Opportunities N3 and R7 Plus
• Vivo X6 Plus
• Nexus 5 and 5X
• Asus Zenfone 2
• Lenovo S90 and A850

Many of these devices had malware preinstalled on them at an alarming variety. Most of these were simply adware that displayed annoying ads, or malware designed to steal information. Some examples are the Loki malware and the Slocker ransomware--a concerning pair to be found on any device.

These instances certainly aren’t unique, or the first examples of such a malware installation, but it might be just enough to force you to reevaluate your organization's vetting process. Always have your IT department check out devices before they are put to use; particularly used devices that you may have picked up at a discount.

If this proves anything at all, it’s that you can’t always trust manufacturers, and that you can never be too diligent when it comes to network security. As such, you should take the necessary precautions to make sure your infrastructure isn’t vulnerable from within thanks to preexisting conditions. If your organization needs help protecting its data, BNMC can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (978) 482-2020.