Be forewarned. Many Chinese made phones sold to visitors come preloaded with spyware. Chinese Androis Smartphone Comes With Spyware . There are many articles on the subject. (The following is for another phone, so there is a small chance it does not apply to you. But if you had to bet…)
” The trojan camouflages as the Google Play Store, so it enables Chinese Company to secretly install malicious apps, which creates the whole spectrum of abuse.
The nasty Spyware runs in the background and has capability to steal personal information, copy users’ data, record calls automatically with unlimited time and send costly SMS to premium services, thereby sending all the stolen information to an anonymous server based in China.
The malware is also capable to activate the microphone on users’ smartphone at any time in order to turn users’ smartphone into a bugging device that allows hackers to hear anything you are saying near by the phone.
“The spy function is invisible to the user and cannot be deactivated,” reads the blog post published yesterday. “
“REMOVAL OF THE TROJAN NOT POSSIBLE
In addition, the malicious software allow preventing security updates from being downloaded and one can not disable the program. “The program also blocks the installation of security updates,” claimed G Data.
Moreover, it is not possible to uninstall the trojan because it is embedded in the firmware of the Star-phone device.”