[HN Gopher] Millions of mobile phones come pre-infected with mal...
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       Millions of mobile phones come pre-infected with malware, say
       researchers
        
       Author : LinuxBender
       Score  : 34 points
       Date   : 2023-05-11 20:45 UTC (2 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.theregister.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.theregister.com)
        
       | version_five wrote:
       | At this point, I barely see a difference between "malware" and
       | most commercial operating systems. Certainly anything samsung or
       | microsoft makes are just thin pretenses to steal as much
       | information as possible. I'm not familiar with Googles stuff but
       | I can't belive it's any different.
        
         | Xeamek wrote:
         | A but unhinged to compare first party telemetry to actually
         | unrestricted malware, no matter how you square it
        
           | DANmode wrote:
           | You say "first party telemetry" in a way that makes the
           | reader think you believe "Microsoft just wants to make
           | Windows better."
           | 
           | I had a much longer comment, but it eventually detracted from
           | this point: you can't guarantee where that data goes, how
           | it's stored through its life, etc.
        
             | PradeetPatel wrote:
             | Unlike malware authors, most big tech companies are bound
             | by legal and ethical frameworks regarding data collection,
             | retention, and usage.
             | 
             | Inappropriate usage of PII can lead to severe consequences
             | in most western countries.
        
               | Our_Benefactors wrote:
               | Do you fully trust these companies to comply with those
               | legal and ethical frameworks? I don't. It's a common
               | refrain that paying these fines is a worthy cost of doing
               | business.
        
           | ryanmentor wrote:
           | The comparison is direct and apt, as a comment on a story
           | about devices delivered with hostile software on them.
           | 
           | From a consumer POV, they are indistinguishable, are they
           | not?
           | 
           | At least third party malware works silently and efficiently.
           | First party hateware puts ads in the start menu.
        
         | miohtama wrote:
         | Malware outright steals your banking information and empties
         | your bank account.
         | 
         | Microsoft, Google or Apple do not do this. Staff for telecoms
         | in developing countries do.
        
         | jbverschoor wrote:
         | Yet people piss on Apple users
        
           | kevviiinn wrote:
           | Yea because they somehow think their magical OS doesn't track
           | them
        
           | surgical_fire wrote:
           | Ironic, when I consider iOS and MacOS to be malware too.
        
       | johnklos wrote:
       | I suppose this article, if nothing else, helps illustrate the
       | difference between opportunistic companies that install crapware
       | that tracks us and exfiltrates all the data it can and nefarious
       | parties that do the exact same thing, but don't pay the vendor
       | for the privilege.
       | 
       | "Hey - they shouldn't take your data - that's our job! We paid to
       | do that!"
        
       | tacker2000 wrote:
       | Windows 10 and 11 should also be counted as malware, if you ask
       | me...
        
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       (page generated 2023-05-11 23:01 UTC)