Cheap Android phones have hidden costs
Considering all the technology that is packed into a modern Android smart phone it is possible to purchase them for surprisingly low prices.
Most Android phones share lots of data with Google, carefully changing settings and disabling Google apps can limit the information you share with Google.
Our analysis of the cheap Alcatel 4034X found it, like other Alcatel phones, had app launcher and file manager apps, crucial system components which can not be disabled, which send data to Facebook. It also had pre-installed Facebook apps, which had powerful capabilities, that required advanced techniques to disable.
[A recent blog post from Malwarebytes](
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/android/2020/01/united-states-government-funded-phones-come-pre-installed-with-unremovable-malware/) shows how they found that the UMX U683CL phones, some of which are supplied under the USA government Lifeline support program, come installed with similar malicious system apps.
They also have a [blog post](
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2019/01/the-new-landscape-of-preinstalled-mobile-malware-malicious-code-within/) that details how such pre-installed malware can sometimes can be removed.
For apps that can not be removed we recommend using [Net Guard](
https://f-droid.org/app/eu.faircode.netguard) to reduce their harm by blocking their internet access.
