After software ‘spy’, experts are concerned about … – Digital Look

The ‘spyware’ Lenovo generated harsh criticism from users and security experts in recent weeks and even yielded a process for the company. Pre-installed on computers, Superfish adware would be able to monitor users, convert search terms in ad online stores and also pass your own security certificate, collecting personal data and leaving the user vulnerable to potential attacks.

But currently the main complaint of users and security professionals are not PCs but Android smartphones. On phones that run Google’s operating system the bloatwares, applications that are already installed on the device, are growing every day. “The problem of bloatwares is not only the fact that they are difficult to remove (each time is like a factory reset they return), but also that they consume battery, user data and can push the boundaries of privacy” explains Irfan Asrar, a researcher at Appthority company.

To understand why this sector continues to grow even displeasing the consumer, we must remember that devices that come with factory bloatwares can yield more revenue to manufacturers, since the developers pay to be distributed along with the cell. “In some cases, it even helps to subsidize the price of the device,” Asrar said. Having a low price is a differential in the Android smartphone market, which becomes increasingly competitive . the large number of models

To make matters worse, those who buy a smartphone that runs the system operators is often required to deal with the problem twofold: the manufacturer and the telephone company install a series of . applications even before the purchase, without the consumer’s permission

Solutions

The Samsung appears to be committed to solving this problem: during the launch of Galaxy S6 the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ​​the company said that the user can choose not to download the company’s apps on the new phone. If it becomes a trend, it can help reduce half of the question. If making your own phone company is also pointed out as a good solution by experts so that Google delete every unwanted software.

Via Wired