India Orders Phone Makers to Pre-Install Government App to Tackle Telecom Fraud
India's telecoms ministry has required major mobile device manufacturers to preload a government-backed cybersecurity program named Sanchar Saathi on all new phones within 90 days.
The program cannot be removed or disabled from users' smartphones, according to a Reuters investigation.
Sanchar Saathi is accessible online and through mobile apps for iOS and Android. It enables users to prevent stolen phones, report suspected fraud, spam, and malicious web links via WhatsApp, SMS, or phone calls, and verify the amount of mobile connections made in their name.
One of its significant features is the ability to report incoming international calls that start with the country code for India (i.e., +91) to aid fraud.
Such international calls are received by illegal telecom setups over ...