Samsung phones have pre-installed unremovable spyware

Social Media Exchange (SMEX), a nonprofit digital human rights organisation focusing on the West Asia/North Africa (WANA) region, has warned people living in these regions that an effective spyware app developed by an Israeli firm is quietly embedded in Samsung smartphones across the region and poses a serious surveillance threat.

Even though this hasn't been verified in other regions, it speaks to the nature of pre-installed bloatware, unremovable, and persistent apps being installed on phones without explicit consent.

The app called AppCloud, is said to be embedded in at the very least A, M, & F series phones.

AppCloud's Nature and Functionality: AppCloud is a system-level bloatware application that functions as a recommendation engine, suggesting third-party apps during device setup and via notifications, generating post-sales ad revenue for Samsung. It operates with deep system privileges, including permissions for full network access, downloading files without notification, and preventing the phone from sleeping, which cybersecurity experts describe as creating an "always-on data pipeline".
Unremovable and Persistent: The app is deeply integrated into the device's operating system, making it impossible to remove without root access, a process that voids warranties and poses security risks. Even when disabled, AppCloud reactivates after system updates, and users report it can covertly install additional software

Samsung phones have pre-installed unremovable spyware

Koj

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