Some smart phones are coming with some extra, hidden functions already built in. Not only will you get a high-resolution screen, multi-megapixel camera, and all the latest software…you could also have malware lurking inside the phone’s hardware. According to SC Magazine, some new phones from China can be compromised remotely by thieves. Read the whole article, but here is a key paragraph that should cause concern:

Among the spyware apps that G Data discovered being used for nefarious purposes out of the box was one pretending to be the Google Drive app but actually identified by researchers as Android.Monitor.Gsyn.B which contains no functionality other than the ability to monitor and steal a wide range of data without the user knowing. It can, they say, listen in to telephone conversations, copy contacts, ask for location data, record audio with the microphone, disable AV software and read the device browser history. All highly useful resources for a would-be data thief.

Pre-installed malware on smart phones is yet another front in the fight between cyber thieves and innocent users. Even if you do everything right (i.e., software updates) and are careful how you use your phone, it may be compromised from the outset. The only advice I have on this is to work with your mobile phone provider to ensure that any known hardware vulnerabilities are addressed so you don’t get compromised.