The New Barnes & Noble Nooks Come Free with Malware

Barnes & Noble started outsourcing their Nook e-readers in the last few years after having a partnership with the Samsung and their most recent $50 Nook 7 android tablet, which has been announced in previous month, displays us the way how it has worked for them. The firmware ADUPS, latest e-reader, sends the user information back to interested hacker or manufacturer. This is same malware which researchers found last month on the cheap Blu tablets as well as phones.

Although it looks like that old software is still run by latest B&N Nooks, but the manufacturer is claiming to have patched malware in the current products. Techcrunch.com posted on December 22nd, 2016, stating that ADUPS permits for accessing full data on device, as well as control and command privileges that includes remote software installation along with automatic updates with no use of permission.

9to5Google was told by Barnes & Noble that software update removing exploit got deployed for each and every Nooks, and it is working on one update for removing the ADUPS from e-readers totally. Moreover, ADUPS further said that it did not collect any "personally identifiable information or location data", and it did not intend to.

With the latest Nook, something new was tried by Barnes & Noble. Samsung, its present partner, does not manufacture the Android devices in the range of $50; and hence, Barnes & Noble outsourced the production to Shenzhen Jingwah Information Technology Co. Ltd. as per Linux Journal. Additionally, ADUPS is Chinese company that is based outside Shanghai.

Charles Fisher, Security researcher of Android and Database Administrator, reveals information regarding malware appearance aboard the NOOK. Fisher written for the Linux Journal suggesting that the malware is similar to the one found infecting BLU devices just during the last week. This week, Fisher suggested: "In the aftermath of the BLU data theft, ADUPS hostile data collection and control over Android may (or may not) be temporarily quelled, but harmful capability remains with the ADUPS agent."

3rd party harvesting is particular thing that the users should be worried about. Digital Reader is suggesting users to return its Nooks along with notes that the B&N has holiday return policy, which lets you send items till 31st January.

» SPAMfighter News - 12/29/2016