Researchers at Bitdefender have discovered a malware campaign called Midnight Mimosa, embedded in the firmware of some low-cost Android phones, including models from Doogee and Cubot. The malware can secretly install apps, grant permissions, bypass Google Play Protect and turn infected devices into botnet nodes used for ad fraud and cyberattacks.
The campaign has affected thousands of devices across more than 150 countries. Because the malware resides in the system partition, removing it is difficult and replacing the infected phone may be the most practical solution.
Source: Android Authority
