Xiaomi Android-based smartphones have become a target for spyware because of the popularity of the brand and the features of the firmware MIUI. According to Kaspersky Lab, in 2023 One in five mobile viruses were targeted specifically at devices with MIUI 12-14, The problem is compounded by the fact that many spies masquerade as system processes, such as com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.midrop, which users mistake for legitimate components.
In this article you will find 7 Proven methods of detecting spyware on Xiaomi, including hidden features MIUI, We're going to look at how to detect surveillance through network traffic analysis, super-user rights verification, and even without antivirus installation. 12/13 and POCO X5, where the most often found backdoors in firmware from third-party sellers.
Signs of Spyware Infection on Xiaomi
The first step is to recognize the symptoms. Android spyware rarely gives off bright signals, but there are indirect signs:
- 🔋 Unexplained battery consumption (e.g. Redmi) 10C It discharges in 4 hours in standby mode with the screen off. Spy constantly transmits data, which increases the load on the Snapdragon processor. 6xx.
- 📶 Active traffic in the background – even with Wi-Fi and mobile data turned off (checked in Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic).
- 🔊 Extraneous sounds during calls: echoes, clicks or interference may indicate wiretapping through a microphone (especially relevant for the use of electronic devices). POCO F4 with a Snapdragon 870 chip).
- 📱 Spontaneous reboots or brakes when opening certain applications (e.g. Telegram or Signal).
On the Xiaomi 13 Ultra model with HyperOS (new shell instead of the one on the other) MIUI) spies may masquerade as com.miui.camera camera services, as this firmware is integrated with the Xiaomi cloud deeper than previous versions.If you notice that photos are automatically uploaded to Mi Cloud without your consent, this is a reason to check.
⚠️ Note: Some “symptoms” may be caused by legitimate functions MIUI, For example, battery optimization or automatic synchronization. Before panic, turn off these options in Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Cloud and Watch the Phone Behavior 2-3 day-day.
Method 1: Verification through “Security settings» MIUI
Xiaomi built into MIUI The hidden tool for finding suspicious applications is Device Protection, which is a section that analyzes real-time activity of programs, but many users don't know it exists:
- Open the Settings → Memory.
- Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Device Protection (on some models, such as the Redmi Note 11 Pro).+, This item is called “Security»).
- Go to the Scan tab and start the check.
The system scans the phone for:
- 🛡️ Malignant APK (including spies masquerading as games or utilities).
- 🔍 Suspicious access rights (e.g., flashlight application requesting access to a flashlight) SMS).
- 📡 Unauthorized server connections (especially relevant for Chinese firmware).
If the scans don’t find anything, but suspicions remain, move to the next method.Please note: on models with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14), this section may not be available – instead use Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Three points. → Scan for viruses.
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If Device Protection doesn’t find threats, but you’re sure of infection, try disabling battery optimization for all apps in Settings. → Battery: Some spies block their activity at low charge to avoid detection.
Method 2: Application rights analysis (permissions)
Spyware always requests suspicious permissions that do not match its stated functions, such as a weather app must not have access to geolocation in the background, microphone or call log.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Slip on the three dots in the top corner and select "Application Rights".
- Browse the sections: 📍 Geolocation (especially background). 🎤 Microphone. 📞 Call log and SMS. 📷 Camera.
| Annex | Suspicious authorization | What does it mean? |
|---|---|---|
| Clean Master (or analogues) | Access to SMS | Can intercept confirmation codes from bank messages. |
| Flashlight (lantern) | Microphone, geolocation | Probably spying on conversations and movements. |
| MIUI System Ads | Camera, contacts. | The system component must not have access to personal data. |
| AnyDesk or TeamViewer | Auto-start, availability | It can be used for remote control of the phone. |
On models POCO M5 redmi A2 You'll find a spy that's often called System Update (com.android.updater), and if that app requests access to contacts or storage, it's 100% a sign of infection. → Annexes → Show it all. → Three points. → Delete (if the button is active).
⚠️ Note: Some legitimate applications (e.g. Google Maps or Yandex.Navigator) do need geolocation, but if you see an unknown app with a Chinese name (e.g. com.duapps.ad) uninstall it without hesitation.
Method 3: Verification through ADB (power-user)
If a spy is deeply integrated into the system, it will not be detected by standard scanners (ADB) — This method is suitable for Xiaomi models with unlocked bootloader or root access, but some teams work without them.
First, turn on the USB debugging:
- Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI And tap 7 times until the message "You became a developer" appears».
- Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate “Debugging by USB”.
- Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.
Now execute these commands in the PC terminal (install). ADB Tools ahead of time):
adb shell pm list packages -f | grep -i "spy\|track\|monitor"This team is looking for packages with suspicious names. If the conclusion is blank, try:
adb shell dumpsys package | grep -i "persistent\|device_admin"Here we check applications with device administrator rights (they are difficult to remove in standard ways).
Xiaomi. 12T And newer spies can hide in packages with names that mimic the system:
- com.miui.analytics is a legitimate service, but if it consumes >5% battery is suspicious.
- com.xiaomi.mipicks – must be disabled by default (if active, check its permissions).
- com.qualcomm.qti.telephonyservice is a system process, but its modifications may contain backdoors.
What to do if ADB He does not find a spy, but suspicions remain?
Method 4: Hidden functions MIUI spy-find
MIUI It contains some undocumented tools that help detect surveillance, one of which is Incognito Mode, which blocks the background activity of applications to activate it:
- Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
- Scroll down and tap 5 times on the item "Notifications" (on some firmware you need to tap on "Gestural").
- A hidden menu will appear “Incognito Mode” – turn it on.
In this mode:
- 🚫 All background processes are blocked except system processes.
- 🔍 Any application trying to access the microphone or camera will request permission each time (even if it has been previously granted).
- 📵 Automatic updates disabled for all apps except Google Play Services.
If this mode is starting to get more stable (it doesn't warm up, the battery lasts longer) then one of the background apps was a spy. To figure it out, gradually return the rights to the apps and observe the behavior of the phone.
Another hidden feature is the Security Log, which records all attempts to access sensitive data:
- Go to Settings. → Memory. → Device protection → Journal of Security.
- Look at the records from the last 7 days.
Insert “Incognito mode»|Check the “Security Journal»|Disable Advertising Personalization in Mi Account|Remove Unknown Devices from Mi Cloud|Reset the network settings-->
Method 5: Use antiviruses (but not all!)
Not all antiviruses are equally useful for Xiaomi. Many of them (like Avast or Xiaomi) AVG) They collect user data themselves, which only makes the problem worse. We recommend three proven tools that are effective against spies on the Internet. MIUI:
| Antivirus | Advantages | Deficiencies | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaspersky Mobile | Detects spies masquerading as system processes, and there's a firmware check for modifications. | The paid version is for deep scanning, and it might conflict with Google Play Protect. | Google Play |
| Bitdefender Mobile | Light (not loading the battery), scans in real time. /system/priv-app/. | The free version is limited. There is no Russian in the interface. | Google Play |
| Malwarebytes | He specializes in adware and spies, can remove admin applications. | It doesn't scan system folders. It sometimes falsely works on Chinese apps. | Google Play |
Before installing the antivirus, disable Mi Protect (the built-in Xiaomi scanner), as it can block the work of third-party programs:
- Go to Settings. → Memory. → Device protection.
- Turn off the “Real-Time Scan” option.
- Install the selected antivirus and run a deep scan.
On HyperOS models (such as the Xiaomi 14 Pro), antiviruses may not see spies in the system partition, in which case only flashing to the official global version of the software will help.
⚠️ Warning: Never install antiviruses from unknown sources (e.g, APK The antivirus file itself may contain a spy! Download only from Google Play or the developer's official website.
Method 6: Network Traffic Analysis
Spyware must be able to transfer data to external servers, and can be calculated by analyzing network activity, which requires a NetGuard application (free of charge, no ads) or a PCAPdroid application (for advanced users).
Instructions for NetGuard:
- Install NetGuard from Google Play.
- Open the app and enable “Traffic Journaling” in the settings.
- Use your phone as usual during the day. 10-15 minute.
- Go back to NetGuard and see the list of active-traffic apps.
The screenshot below shows a suspicious activity on the Redmi Note 11:
If you find a suspicious IP, Check it out via VirusTotal or AbuseIPDB, IP 45.76. is often used for botnets, and 103.86.98.98.98 for spy servers.
For models POCO X3 Pro and Redmi. K50 is characterized by data leakage through DNS-servers, to check:
- Install. DNS Changer from Google Play.
- Look at the current ones. DNS-servers in application settings.
- If it contains addresses such as 114.114.114.114 (Chinese) DNS) 8.8.4.4 (Google, but unexpectedly), they could be replaced by a spy.
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If you find suspicious traffic, but you don't know which app is generating it, turn off your mobile internet and Wi-Fi and watch your phone's behavior, and if the battery is holding on longer, the spy was in the middle of the action.
Method 7: Complete reset and flashing (last resort)
If all previous methods did not help, there is a radical solution – a complete reset or flashing to a clean version. MIUI/HyperOS. This will delete all spies, but also erase all user data (photos, contacts, messages).
Important: Before resetting, back up only important files (photos, documents) to an external drive. Do not copy applications or settings - they may contain spyware!
Instructions for Hard Reset:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the power button + volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (manage by volume buttons, confirm by power button).
- After resetting, the phone will reboot to its original state.
If the reset does not help (the spy is sewn into the firmware), you will need to flash the firmware:
- Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website.
- Unpack. ZIP-file-back.
- Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (clamp power) + volume down when the phone is turned off).
- Run the command: fastboot flash all [name file firmware].zip
On Xiaomi models 13T And newer with HyperOS, you may need to unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool. The official instruction is here, but note that unlocking resets the phone and erases all data without the possibility of recovery.
⚠️ Warning: After flashing, don't restore data from a backup made before the spy was detected! use only "clean" backups (e.g. photos copied to your PC manually).