US Government-funded Android phones come preinstalled with unremovable malware

[LiberalArkie]

An Android phone subsidized by the US government for low-income users comes preinstalled with malware that can't be removed without making the device cease to work, researchers reported on Thursday.

The UMX U686CL is provided by Virgin Mobile's Assurance Wireless program. Assurance Wireless is an offshoot of the Lifeline Assistance program, a Federal Communications Commissions plan that makes free or government-subsidized phones service available to millions of low-income families. The program is often referred to as the Obama Phone because it expanded in 2008, when President Barack Obama took office. The UMX U686CL runs Android and is available for $35 to qualifying users.

Researchers at Malwarebytes said on Thursday that the device comes with some nasty surprises. Representatives of Sprint, the owner of Virgin Mobile, meanwhile said it didn't believe the apps were malicious.

The first is heavily obfuscated malware that can install adware and other unwanted apps without the knowledge or permission of the user. Android/Trojan.Dropper.Agent.UMX contains striking similarities to two other trojan droppers. For one, it uses identical text strings and almost identical code. And for another, it contains an encoded string that, when decoded, contains a hidden library named com.android.google.bridge.Liblmp.

Snip'

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/01/us-government-funded-android-phones-come-preinstalled-with-unremovable-malware/

[Recursion]

1. Hell, my expensive Samsung is loaded with unremoveable crapware

The only smartphone that isn't actively spying on you is the librem, and it doesnt even work yet....

[MineralMan]

3. I have a Samsung phone, too. What are some examples of

the "crapware" you mentioned? My phone seems to be just fine.

[Recursion]

4. The entire "Samsung"-branded line of apps

Their web browser, their mail client, their media player, and the Samsung Store. You have to root the phone to remove them. (I seem to recall not all models get these, but my A6 definitely did.)

[JHB]

2. Fact check failure: "expanded in 2008, when President Barack Obama took office"

2008 was when Obama was elected, not when he took office.

The expansion did take place in 2008, under the Bush administration, months before the election.

However, RWers embraced the "Obama phone" term because it fit their narrative of "handouts to lazy poor people (and you know who we mean)". Mainstream sources did what they all too often do, which was to absorb that RW framing.

[JDC]

6. I had forgotten about this. And the narrative. Good reminder

[hunter]

5. Ugh. I wouldn't want a phone that displays advertising.

Obnoxious advertising is one of the reasons I quit television.

My phone flips open like a Star Trek communicator.

The only reason I have a cell phone is that it seems you need one to be considered a functional adult in this modern society. That's also the reason I support subsidized phones for those who can't afford them. How are you going to find a job if you don't have a phone? How are you going to hold a job that has ever-changing work schedules?

There's no good reason for government to subsidize advertising along with the phones.

Calling these "Obama Phones" is total bullshit as well. It's like the stupid Reagan era "welfare queen driving a Cadillac slur."

It's a dog whistle every asshole racist hears.