Xiaomi is on the hot seat right now as a new report claims that the company has been collecting browsing data of its users. This was revealed by a security researcher working with Forbes who said the company collects browsing data from users who are using Xiaomi smartphones and the pre-installed browser.
The browser apparently collects the data even when someone is using it in incognito mode. These are serious allegations that Xiaomi has to address.
According to Gabriel Cirlig, the security researcher, he is using the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and has noticed that the phone records almost everything he does and the data is then sent to servers in Russia and Singapore. It is also important to note that the domains are hosted in Beijing.
Some of the data collected include websites visited, folders opened, settings changes, music played on the default app etc. He also claimed that the data is poorly encrypted and that it why it was easy for him to transcribe it into plain text.
Cirlig then decided to download the ROMs for the Xiaomi Mi 10, the Redmi K20 and the Mi Mix 3 and he found the same security vulnerability on them.
Xiaomi’s Response
As expected, Xiaomi has responded to these allegations saying that the findings are misleading and untrue. The company says that it complies with all local laws and regulations on data privacy and the browsing data collected in anonymized.
The company says that it collects the data in the first place to help improve the browsing experience of its users. It added that the collected data cannot be traced back to a specific user.
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