According to some users X e Redditthe devices Xiaomi they are demonstrating strange behaviors which, in some ways, resemble those of some malware.
The Chinese manufacturer’s smartphones, in fact, would modify the default search engine of the browser, also adding unwanted bookmarks and directing the user to pages full of advertising.
It was he who raised the alarm Subhajit Singh, a cybersecurity expert, who complained about his smartphone on X. According to him, in fact, the Xiaomi device has changed its default search engine to Mintnavknown for bombarding users with annoying ads.
Saha therefore commented on what happened on X with the following statements “Xiaomi just got sued for *intentionally* putting malware on their phones! The malware is called Mintnav and it changes your Google Chrome homepage to take you to a “sponsored” page full of ads!“.
The provided screenshots of the browser settings showed that the homepage and search engine were set to websites that appeared to be owned by Xiaomi.
“Every phone on this planet has had access to it and their Chrome browsers without user consent. These Chinese phones are malware, with backdoors even at the hardware level. Cheap products are not always good” Saha then added.
xiaomi just got exposed for *intentionally* putting malware on their phones!
the malware is called “mintnav” and it modifies google chrome’s homepage to take you to a “sponsored” page filled with ads!
Every phone in this planet , They have accessed it and their chrome browsers… pic.twitter.com/b2WxqD1RZy
— Subhajit Saha (@subhajitsaha0x) September 6, 2023
Xiaomi changes the default search engine: more confirmations arrive
Other users confirmed what Saha highlighted, disappointed to find their phones full of adware. Apparently, the problem arises after installing the update MIUI 14.
One user on PabloMK7, also said that its home page changed to Mintnav without permission or warning. As evidence of the seriousness of this fact, there are some websites that, apparently, have already classified this search engine as a real unwanted programlabeling it as a “browser hijacker“.
However, Xiaomi stated a 91mobiles.com that its Mintnav website is safe and that any speculation about any fraudulent activity is “completely baseless and misleading“.
According to the technological giant, in fact “Mintnav is designed to improve users’ digital experience by providing quick access to trending news and websites tailored to their preferences. As with other OEMs, all Xiaomi devices also have the proprietary homepage as default“.