How to get rid of possible virus?

[AC Question]

So, I noticed about a week ago that I had this new app called Hola Launcher on my phone that I didn't download and didn't want, so I tried deleting it, only to find that I couldn't. I don't know if it's dangerous or not, I just know that I don't want it on my phone. There were some other weird things happening with my phone too, so I did a factory reset and when it came back on I saw that there was now an app called Pornclub that has since downloaded a bunch of other weird apps that pop up from time to time with the message '(Name of the app) has stopped'. I decided to do another factory reset, and once again when the phone came back on, the first thing on my screen was '(name of the app) has stopped. I'm really sick them slowing down my phone and giving me ads, so if someone has a solution, I would love to hear it. I have a Sony Xperia E1 and I am not rooted.

 

[Javier P]

Hi, welcome to the forums!

There are different reports about similar issues. Tell us the name of the apps in that "had stopped" error, so we can have a better idea of what's going on.

 

[Nafaa]

Sorry, I had to make an account. The apps are 'PinkyGirls' and 'SexSlave'. Not exactly the kind of thing you want popping up every five minutes

 

[Javier P]

Thanks for signing in! Those apps are new on the list and I can imagine why you don't want that kind of message popping up in your phone. Did you download any app outside the Play Store? There are news of a nasty trojan called Ghost Push that installs some apps in your phone.

A member of Android central is trying to duplicate this issue in his own phone. Yes, he's trying to get infected by that Trojan so he can understand how it works and try to find a fix! Join that thread and tell us which apps you downloaded before having this problem.

So far the only fix is reflashing your ROM, as you have seen factory reset didn't work.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=588874

 

[MummaCat]

I just spent all day trying to remove this and after 3 factory resets, much patience and trying not to click on any of the ads popping up I've managed to halt it. The only thing I could do was go into the app manager and 'force stop' and 'disable' all the apps that were causing the glitching and ads popping up. Some of them weren't even spelt correctly like 'goole play' and 'andriod'.
I was quite disgusted at the Porn that was popping up as this was the tablet my children had been using and I'd reformatted it end of last year to remove other ads that were on there. It was not nice to find out that this pornclub, sexysomething, celebrity stalker etc. .. we're all built in apps that can't be uninstalled,only disabled.
And were massive Trojans.

 

[78daniels]

did you ever find a solution??? my phone is doing the same thing!

 

[Dbrock23]

I've came across this problem as well. I did factory resets and etc and the app was still there. I had to root the tablet and use an app called System App Remover(ROOT). It finally got rid of the malware. Even still tho there were host of other things I had to remove along with that. So I downloaded 360 security and ran that to clean up the rest. Worst part was it was on my niece's tablet which was set on kid mode.