Security researchers sounded the alarm when they found traces of dangerous malware on DragonTouch tablets marketed to children.
It’s not uncommon these days for children to receive tablets and smartphones as gifts for their birthdays, but security researcher Alexis Hancock said that after testing her daughter’s Dragon Touch KidZPad Y88X, there was cause for concern. I noticed it right away.
Hancock worked for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, so he was well-versed in modern technology products, but he had never heard of the device’s maker, Dragon Touch.
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Upon further investigation, she discovered a number of security and privacy concerns, including traces of malware called Corejava, which Malware Bytes confirmed to be malicious earlier this year.
Outdated Android and data collection app store
The tablet also runs a five-year-old version of Android and has a custom app store specifically designed for kids called KIDOZ, which is also old and susceptible to security holes. Thing.
This app store collects a lot of information such as device model, brand, country, time zone, screen size, view events, click events, event log time, and unique KID ID. This data is sent to a site called “kidoz.net”.
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The tablet’s preloaded software was similarly problematic, and included a program called Adups. This program is classified as malware as well, as it may download and install other malicious software without user interaction.
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These privacy and security concerns were reported to Amazon, Google, and Walmart. Amazon and Google said they were investigating the allegations and would take appropriate action if necessary, while Walmart immediately removed the product from its stores pending a full investigation.
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Walmart spokesperson John Forrest Ailes said in an email to TechCrunch:
“We have removed this third-party item from our site while our trust and safety review is ongoing.
“Like other major online retailers, we operate an online marketplace where external third-party sellers can offer products to customers through our e-commerce platform.
“We expect these products to be safe, reliable and comply with our standards and all legal requirements. The item will be immediately removed from the website and will remain blocked.”
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Hancock and TechCrunch reached out to Dragon Touch for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.