Android phones could be hiding ‘undeletable’ malware
A large number Android phones may be storing 'undeletable' files and apps following a number of widespread attacks, security researchers have warned.
A new report from Kaspersky found that many Android devices that had been hit by cybercrime could still be harbouring malicious files or items without the user's knowledge.
Overall, the firm found that 14.8% of all users attacked by malware or adware in the past year suffered an infection of the system partition, meaning files were embedded in undeletable system apps and libraries at the code level. Kaspersky gave the example of the CookieStealer malware, which hit the headlines in March 2020 for forcibly installing apps on victim devices to gain money for advertising, and may have infected over a quarter of devices offered by some low-cost Android vendors.