Low-Cost Android Phones Ship With Preinstalled Malware That Turns Them Into Residential Proxies

Low-cost Android smartphones have been found to have malicious software embedded in their device firmware, enabling unauthorized activities such as app installation, ad fraud, and conversion into residential proxies. This issue affects Android devices built on MediaTek platforms across multiple brands. The malicious activity is being tracked by Bitdefender as Midnight Mimosa. The preinstalled malware allows bad actors to carry out these covert operations. The affected devices are turned into residential proxies, which can be used for various malicious purposes.