Modern Samsung Phones With Device Care Caught Sending Data Back to Chinese Servers

[Hobox]

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/ektg8u/chinese_spyware_preinstalled_on_all_samsung/

 

A reddit user discovered that the Storage section of the Device Care software that Samsung uses in their Android distribution is made by a shady Chinese company named Qihoo 360. This company is well-known to use shady tactics and trickery to install adware and spyware on users' products. Using Wireshark, the reddit user was able to confirm that the company does indeed send data back to chinese servers, under at least two domain names: 360.cn & 360safe.com. To make matters worse, Device Care and its individual sections cannot be disabled by the user without Root privileges.

 

Yet another worse detail is outlined in the comments of the original thread, from which a user discovered that this company is sending sensitive data back to the Chinese servers over standard, unencrypted HTTP. The sensitive data includes details like your device's IMEI number and MAC address.

 

 

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Given how this topic is rapidly blowing up on Reddit, I hope it can have enough outreach for media sites with actual contacts at Samsung to pick up on this. Maybe Samsung would be willing to work on shutting down these oversights and support their users.

[HanZie82]

Already posted. Just fyi.

[Guest]

wow, interesting news, I wonder what action Samsung will take and how quickly they can update their devices.

 

[SansVarnic]

-= Locked =-

 

I am locking this for 2 reasons;

1. This was previously posted but was moved due not being in line with posting guidelines.
2. Reddit is not exactly known trusted source for news content thus making this a hearsay/rumour piece and this makes it not in line with the guidelines for a news post.