BLU is assuring that none of its phones carry any sort of spyware or malware in a new press release that has been published just this morning, following reports from last week that two of BLU’s devices (the BLU Grand M and the Advance 5.0) were still using software from Adups which was collecting and sending sensitive customer data to servers in China. At the time it was reported that BLU devices were carrying software which was collecting user data without the knowledge or consent of the user before sending it to overseas servers. This software was also referred to as spyware. According to BLU these reports are inaccurate.
While BLU does not state that phones like the Grand M are not carrying Adups technology, rather it states that some older devices may still use it but future devices following the initial report about this issue from last Fall will not, it does seek to highlight that the issue shouldn’t be with the Adups OTA being on devices, but instead should be focused on what kind of data is actually being scooped up by the OTA and whether or not that data being collected is actually a risk to the users that the data came from.
Perhaps as some peace of mind for consumers who may have a BLU device, BLU states that any of the data being collected by Adups on older devices which may still have the OTA included is not a risk to user privacy or security, and it stands by this statement, mentioning that the currently collected data is standard for OTA functions. It also points out that Kryptowire’s VP Tom Karygiannis, has mentioned that any data being collected is following along with BLU’s privacy policy, and furthermore that the collection of this data does not mean that BLU is doing something that it shouldn’t be. Perhaps most importantly from BLU’s response to the reports last week, the company says customer privacy and security is a top priority for them and that none of its devices have suffered any sort of breach, while also mentioning that no customer privacy information is at risk and that the Adups OTA isn’t collecting any data that it shouldn’t be collecting.