Possible Virus - Play Store opens randomly to specific games/apps

[Shannon Loyd]

I've been having new ones now..I guess but now it's not taking me to the app store it's just opening the browser and saying congrats..I'll just show you a screenshot.. starts from this url... oops won't let me paste ... dangit why not.. I'll figure it out later..

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Shannon Loyd]

I've cleaned my cookies now(which I honestly didn't do before) I think this one was a hijacker virus.. infact the infamous Sethavazutracking jerk... usually found on pc.. I cleared my cookies well see what happens..my phones not a pc so all the other crap they asked if you to do does not apply..

These are the hijacker links.. hope you guys dont get them too.. I'd clear your cookies at least.. I have a lot of crap invested in my history and everything else so until I do some manual clean up I can't delete anything else.. let you know if it works.. for those just reading I never had the music paradise like everyone else..

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Andrew_zkb]

I too have had Music Paradise since I got my phone several months ago, in the last couple week I noticed the same admob redirect whenever I would unlock my screen. After reading a few posts on here I deleted it yesterday morning and haven't experienced the issue since. I only wish I had given them a bad review prior to removing the app to hopefully save someone the headache of figuring this out.

 

[monsieurms]

Well, I installed that Lookout Ad detector mentioned in Post 85.....I suspect that would save a lot of effort in figuring out where these things are coming from in the future, although not having problems now.

Interestingly, yesterday before I came here I was using a vitamin site, left it. And when I got here, there were ads in the white space above my profile name for the vitamin site and the product I was searching!!!

What's up with that? (This is on my PC no less.....I rebooted, it went away....ran Malware Bytes just to be sure)

 

[TOTtomdora]

Well, I installed that Lookout Ad detector mentioned in Post 85.....I suspect that would save a lot of effort in figuring out where these things are coming from in the future, although not having problems now.

Interestingly, yesterday before I came here I was using a vitamin site, left it. And when I got here, there were ads in the white space above my profile name for the vitamin site and the product I was searching!!!

What's up with that? (This is on my PC no less.....I rebooted, it went away....ran Malware Bytes just to be sure)

That's just advertisement profiling. Perfectly normal, if not annoying.

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[monsieurms]

That's just advertisement profiling. Perfectly normal, if not annoying.

On THIS site, that's normal? Hasn't ever happened before...

Re; the Lookout ad detector, interestingly, admob is one of the networks that comes up--listed as working with 41 apps to collect location info. 41!!! Such apps include Docs to go, PicsArt Kaleidoscope, Google Docs, , Aviary, PicsArt, , YouTube.... I can understand why, say, Netflix or Hotels.com needs location info. I'm not sure why Aviary does, or Docs2Go.

Lookout also advises that AdMob will honor opt-out requests, but that just means you won't get "targeted" ads; you'll now get untargeted ones.

The more you learn, the more freaked out you get.

 

[CoqRoi]

UPDATE: Not one issue with my SGS5 since uninstalling Music Download Paradise Pro...

Posted via Android Central App

 

[peacefulberry]

UPDATE: Not one issue with my SGS5 since uninstalling Music Download Paradise Pro...

Posted via Android Central App

Glad to know that...hope everyone else got this issue resolved.

 

[Jac Gaddo]

I'm getting the same thing, I know I got it through Tango, probably an update. I just don't know how to stop it or get rid of it, so frustrating!

Just found an app called "How to block annoying apps" people have commented that it works and blocks all apps.

 

[kyle horning]

I had music download paradise as well and uninstalling it seems to have solved the issue

 

[DWFoth]

My wife was having this problem on her Galaxy S3. She uninstalled Balloon Shoot and it appears to have gone away. Thanks to all who worked together to develop the list of possible culprit apps!

 

[Happy Monopod]

Several months ago I was being hijacked to a game buy page in the app store on a random basis. I was using the standard android browser and maybe once every 15 minutes I would find myself back at the app store. I tried clearing all the privacy setting to no avail. Finally I found that Settings>Apps>All>Browser>Clear Data would make the problem go away. This of course also annoyingly clears thumbnails and browser settings. I occasionally got back into that mode a few times till I stopped reading reddit on my phone. Everything was fine for several months. Today I started getting a little popup that repeatedly comes up randomly on the screen for about 2 seconds then goes away for a few seconds. Obviously it is trying to get a accidental select. The same browser clear data sequence made it go away. Looks like web scum are at it again.

 

[jsveiga]

In my case it was The Weather Channel. I didn't have Music Paradise.
Uninstalled TWC and the annoying pop ups went away. It would open the Play Store in an anti virus page on the first time I accessed the web, everyday.
I though TWC was a serious company...

 

[myoldflares]

On my rooted phone, just in the last few days, almost every time I pin unlock it I get presented with a full page ad (sometimes 2 in succession) with no obvious clue as to what has launched it.
After a bit of trial and error, removing apps one by one and amending the Hosts file in attempt to block ad sites, but with little luck, the culprit announced itself when an ad caused an error. To my surprise the application in question was 'Google Search' which weirdly showed as being installed twice! Un-installing the app stopped the Ad's appearing when un-locking the phone.
Re-installing some of the previously removed apps then caused 'Google search' to re-appear as an installed app (x2) so bringing back Ads when unlocking the phone. Un-installing stops them as before.
Tried a few AV products but none are indicating any major issues apart from the phone being rooted.
Has anyone else seen this behaviour from what reports to be 'Google Search' and also shows as being installed twice?
Cheers

 

[Humdot]

On THIS site, that's normal? Hasn't ever happened before...

Re; the Lookout ad detector, interestingly, admob is one of the networks that comes up--listed as working with 41 apps to collect location info. 41!!! Such apps include Docs to go, PicsArt Kaleidoscope, Google Docs, , Aviary, PicsArt, , YouTube.... I can understand why, say, Netflix or Hotels.com needs location info. I'm not sure why Aviary does, or Docs2Go.

Lookout also advises that AdMob will honor opt-out requests, but that just means you won't get "targeted" ads; you'll now get untargeted ones.

The more you learn, the more freaked out you get.

How do you opt out of AdMob? It keeps redirecting my browser (chrome) to ad pages

 

[monsieurms]

I presume from what Lookout said that you have to send them a request.

 

[Whit Taylor]

I have the same problem on a Nexus 5. The screens switch so quickly it's hard to discern what is occurring, but it appears that Play opens, then app related videos are launched or, if I have an app installed already, the installed app is launched. In a matter of 20 seconds, I can have 20 screens opened. Additionally, the phone stops responding to my taps or swipes. It's as if the device is afflicted with demonic possession.

 

[thoren37]

Check developer options and make sure you dont have any root software thats experimental on in any app settings which could make ur phone wacky

Our business is life itself.

I had the same problem with my Acer tablet and sent back to company and they said touchscreen went bad they replaced the touch screen didn't have a problem with it again hope this helps guys ;-)

 

[Arron Parker]

same love du speed booster is prebuilt to my system tried root permissions everything can not be removed tried ebay sellers guide to reboot whole system with new firmware its viruses my system up so much that its broke the device knows how to reinstall itself no matter du speed booster i dont care what the reviews said its virus it says on google cyber criminals have made a fake version either way google prob paid du booster to sell free adds so wont do jack . bought brand new 90 pound latest chips integra a33 allw inner ddr3 prebuilt 4.4.2 firmware unstable bag of crap the device is uselss du speed booster wont let u write a bad review trust me. third parties gain access with partnerships always check the permissions before download now check du permissions doesnt need all those its bascially saying it can do anything it wants im making a huge petition to stop googles dodgey dealings rich filthy greedy marketfeeback privacy invasion tospots. i know the apps and the diaxnous.com pop ups i have stopped this virus from pop ups however deleting certain files make it unstable you will also see that even android has a android.compop up add and provider stop the provider and no more pop ups they want to gain all your info to sell you stuff and future market research and other stuff its wrong and theyll get exposed soon. stay away from android kitkat 4.42

 

[vimpire]

There are a lot of advertising on the web, there are many carry the virus software, we need a little caution when using, but as you say the operation is unlikely to infection. .