Motorola Users Report Amazon App Redirect Hijack
A growing number of Motorola smartphone users have reported a security issue where opening the Amazon shopping app redirects their browser through a third-party affiliate website. The issue has raised cyber security concerns regarding potential malware, adware, or unauthorized affiliate link hijacking software on the devices, which could compromise user privacy and traffic integrity.
According to user reports on technical forums, when opening the official Amazon app, a brief system redirect redirects the user to a third-party domain before loading the standard Amazon product page. This process alters the app’s referral tags, allowing third-party affiliate marketers to earn commissions on purchases made by the user, without their knowledge or consent.
Adware Scrutiny and Mobile Device Security
Security researchers suggest that the issue could be caused by a pre-installed system application or adware package present on specific Motorola models. Mobile manufacturers often bundle third-party utility and launcher apps, which can sometimes be exploited or repurposed for affiliate hijacking. Motorola has stated that it is investigating the reports and plans to release a security update to address any unauthorized app behaviors, while advising users to monitor app permissions.
