https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/cheap-chinese-smartphones-malware
Preinstalled malware on low-cost Chinese phones has stolen data and money from some of the world’s poorest people.
Current security concerns about Chinese apps and hardware have largely focused on potential back doors in Huawei’s 5G equipment. More recently, people have focused on how user data collected by TikTok could be abused by the company and the Chinese government. But an overlooked and ongoing threat is the consistent presence of malware on cheap smartphones from Chinese manufacturers and how it exacts a digital tax on people with low incomes.