At least 36 high-end smartphones have been found pre-loaded with malware programs. Malware programs were installed to the device’s ROM using system privileges, it’s hard to get rid of the infections. The malware backdoor offers its operator unrestricted access to these infected devices, from downloading, installing and activating Android malicious apps, deleting user data, uninstalling security software and disabling system apps, to dialing premium phone numbers. This incident underscores the dangers of untrusted supply chains, and experts are quite worried about the security of the supply chain.
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2017/03/android-malware-apps.html