VietNamNet Bridge – More and more Chinese mobile devices have been discovered in Vietnam that may have spyware.

On hi-tech forums, Vietnamese experts have advised mobile device users not to install apps sourced from China.

A test with a Xiaomi smartphone at a mobile phone shop in HCM City conducted by a Nguoi lao dong reporter showed clear evidence that the smartphone had a connection with a server in China and sent information there.

The reporter then decided to reset the smartphone, hoping that when the software was cleared, he would have a “clean” smartphone. However, to his surprise, the smartphone still connected and sent information to the server in China.

Experts said the software allowing it to automatically connect with servers in China might be embedded in the firmware of the mobile device. Therefore, it is cannot be removed by users.

Vo Do Thang, director of Athena HCM City, an internet security training center, said if manufacturers want to install spyware into mobile devices, they can do this easily. They can install spyware before launching products into the market or when providing updated versions.

“In general, software is disguised in a very sophisticated way which can hide itself from users and technology experts as well,” Thang said.

According to Thang, it is necessary to analyze the data packs sent from mobile devices to China to find out what information was sent.  BKAV, a leading internet security firm, is reportedly doing this.

In order to check if a mobile device automatically sends information to unwanted addresses, experts say, one should access prestigious app stores like Apple App Store and Google Play to download the software that allows you to monitor connections, such as Network Connections, Connection Tracker, Network Monitor, Connection List and Netstat Professional.

The apps allow users to find out where their mobile devices link to and what kinds of data the information is sent to the addresses.

“If you have doubts that your mobile devices have connections with strange servers located overseas, you’d better have them examined by security experts,” a technology expert said.

According to Thang, Chinese spyware are numerous on mobile app stores. In general, the first versions of the apps are “clean”, with no spyware, and they can “go through” the security check by Apple and Google, and are available on app stores.

However, the software owners will launch updated versions later, and with spyware.

When users update the new versions, the spyware will penetrate quietly into the users’ mobile devices.

“Mobile device users should be very vigilant over the apps sourced from China,” Thang said.

Kaspersky Lab Vietnam in February 2014 released the 2013 report on the risks with mobile devices, showing that nearly 145,000 mobile spy programs (spyware, Trojan…) which could steal personal information were discovered in 2013, or three times higher than in 2012.

The report of the security firm showed that 10 million Android malicious apps were discovered in 2012 and 2013. The five countries which had the highest numbers of users attacked by malware were Russia (40 percent), India (8 percent), Vietnam (4 percent), Ukraine (4 percent) and the UK (3 percent).

NLD