The privacy problem in today’s smartphones is acute, especially when it comes to popular models like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7. Users often wonder how to turn off wiretapping on their phones for fear of leaking personal information or intrusive advertising. The reality is that under “wiretapping” can hide both system services for collecting MIUI analytics and malware installed without the owner’s knowledge.
Understanding the security architecture of Android and the features of the MIUI shell allows you to effectively resist unwanted data collection. You do not need to be a programming expert to secure your Redmi Note 7.
In this article, we will discuss specific steps to identify and block data channels, we will look at both standard protections and more advanced methods of analyzing network activity, your goal is to regain full control of the device and eliminate background transfer of confidential information to third parties.
Analysis and identification of suspicious activity in the system
The first step to security is to diagnose the current state of the system. Often users don't even know which apps have access to the microphone or geolocation. Redmi Note 7 has a built-in control mechanism that needs to be activated. Without this step, any further action may not be effective, as you will be fighting the symptoms, not the cause.
Notice the activity indicators in the upper right corner of the screen. Starting with certain versions of Android, when you use a microphone or camera, the corresponding icon appears. If you see a green or orange indicator when you are not using a voice recorder or video call, this is a signal about the background operation of the application.
⚠️ Attention: The presence of the indicator does not always mean a virus, but it is absolutely impossible to ignore the sudden activation of the microphone in the background.
For a detailed analysis, use the Digital Well-Being section, which shows usage statistics for each package installed, and sudden spikes in activity for system services or unknown applications require immediate intervention.
Configure privacy in the shell MIUI
The MIUI shell on the Redmi Note 7 has advanced telemetry collection features that are often turned on by default, and disabling these features is a basic step to improve privacy, so you need to go to the settings menu and find the password and security section.
Inside this section, you'll find the Privacy option, and here's the User Experience Improvement Program switch, and turning off this option stops the anonymized, but still anonymous, device usage data from being sent to the developer's servers, which reduces background network activity and saves battery power.
It is also critical to check the settings of advertising identifiers. In the subsection “Advertising Services”, you need to activate the option “MSA Disable” (MIUI System Ads), this action blocks system advertising, which often requires a constant connection to servers to target content.
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After the MSA is disabled, it is recommended to restart the device so that the changes take effect at the system process level.
Managing Application Permissions and Microphone Access
Permission control is the foundation of wiretapping protection: Every Android app must request access to sensitive features such as microphone, contacts, or location. In the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, this is managed by the Permission Manager.
Go to the settings and select "Applications," then "Permissions." Go through the list, especially "Microphone," and you'll be surprised to find apps there that don't need access to sound, like a calculator or a flashlight.
☑️ Permit verification
For each suspicious application, set a "Disable" status. If the application stops working without a microphone, the system will request access the next time you run, and you can make an informed decision. It is also useful to enable the "Privacy Protection" feature, which allows you to give applications empty data instead of real data.
Use of hidden codes and engineering menu
There are special ones. USSD-Entering these codes in the Phone app helps check the status of call forwarding, which is often a sign of classic phone tapping.
The most universal code for checking forwarding is *#21#. After typing this combination, a table will appear on the screen with the status of forwarding voice calls, messages and data. If the status is "Not forwarded", then your calls will not go to a third-party number.
*#21#
*#62#
##002#The *#62# code shows where the call is being transferred if the caller is not available. Often it shows the operator's voicemail center number, which is the norm. However, if you see an unknown number, this is cause for concern. To reset all redirects, use the ##002# command.
What do I do if the codes don't work?
Search and Remove Spyware Software
If the system settings are fine but suspicion remains, it is possible that the device has specialized spyware installed, such programs often masquerading as system processes or do not have an icon on the desktop.
The first sign of malware may be anomalous behavior: the phone is warming in your pocket, discharges quickly, or the screen lights up without notice. In Redmi Note 7, you should use the built-in security scanner from Avast or AVL, which is already integrated into the Security app.
Run a deep scan. If the built-in tools don't find anything, but the symptoms persist, install a reputable antivirus from the Google Play Market, such as Malwarebytes or Kaspersky, which can detect known spyware signatures that skip standard filters.
⚠️ Warning: Never download antivirus from third-party sites or links to SMS. Use only the official Google Play app store.
Table of signs of compromise of the device
To organize knowledge about possible threats, it is convenient to use a summary table, which will help you quickly compare the observed symptoms with the likely causes and methods of fixing the problem on Xiaomi.
| Symptoms. | Probable cause | Method of verification | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast battery discharge | Background activity of a miner or spy | Settings → Battery → Consumption | Removal of the suspicious application |
| Spontaneous screen activation | Attempt to activate the camera/microphone | Observation of the camera indicator | Verification of application permissions |
| Extraneous sounds when ringing | Turning on speakerphone remotely | Personal test call | Resetting or flashing |
| Dramatic increase in traffic | Audio/video data transmission | Settings → Use of data | Blocking access to the network |
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A comprehensive check on all points of the table takes no more than 10 minutes, but gives a complete picture of the security of your Redmi Note 7.
Radical measures: discharge and complete clean-up
If the software methods didn’t fix the problem, the last and most reliable way is a complete factory reset, which completely removes all user data, applications and, most importantly, any hidden malicious files.
Before starting the procedure, be sure to back up important files (photos, contacts) to an external medium or to a cloud storage to which you have trusted access. Remember that after the reset, the phone will be like new, and you will have to reconfigure accounts.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” The device will reboot and start the cleanup process, which can take 5 to 15 minutes. Once turned on, check the phone’s “clean” state without installing all the apps at once.