Tecno Sold Phones With Software That Eats Prepaid Airtime
There has been concern among Tecno smartphone users after it has surfaced that the Chinese maker sold the phones with pre-installed software that consumes mobile data and registers people for unwanted subscriptions.
The software has been found on thousands of Tecno phones more than two years after it was first discovered.
According to a report by CNN, the Triada malware covertly signs up mobile users for subscription services without their consent and has been discovered on Tecno W2 smartphones in countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Cameroon.
This was discovered following research by Secure-D, an anti-fraud platform. Secure-D recorded 19,2 million suspicious transactions since March 2019 from over 200 000 unique devices.
Speaking to CNN, Secure-D Managing Director said:
The fact that the malware arrives pre-installed on the handsets that are bought in their millions by typically low-income households tells you everything you need to know about what the industry is currently up against. This particular threat takes advantage of those most vulnerable.
Tecno smartphones are manufactured by China’s Transsion Holdings which is based in Shenzhen. The company which is listed on China’s version of Nasdaq has ignored its home market to focus almost exclusively on the African market.
Transsion sells affordable handsets than Samsung and Apple under the brand Tecno Mobile.
Figures from a market research firm IDC show that Tecno Android devices dominate Africa’s smartphone market with a 41% share.
In response, Tecno Mobile said the problem “was an old and solved mobile security issue globally” for which it issued a fix in March 2018.
Tecno urged customers who are currently experiencing difficulties due to the malware to download the fix through their phones or contact after-sales support.
Triada malware installs a piece of code known as xHelper onto compromised devices automatically subscribing users without their knowledge to services that consume prepaid airtime.
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