Security information

[Autumn Lotus]

Hi,

I bought my Samsung Galaxy S4 earlier this year and everything was fine. I also downloaded anti-virus software AVG on my phone.

Recently, I keep receiving a notification that says, "An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This attempt has been blocked. Changing your security level to normal may solve this problem. Deleting applications obtained from unauthorised sources may improve security."

But I have not 'jail-broken my S4 and only downloaded mainly photography apps from the Playstore.

This notification keeps coming on every half an hour or so for the past few days.

Please advise what is wrong and how to resolve this.

Thanks.

 

[Paul627g]

Hello and welcome to Android Central.

It sounds like AVG is doing what its supposed to be doing. Some application(s) maybe triggering the virus app to notify you of attempted access, even though you agreed upon installation from the Google Play Store to allow access.

I never have used an anti virus app on my smartphone but I would check to see if there is a log showing what is setting off these notifications and go from there.

 

[srkmagnus]

Welcome to the forums! I would echo Paul's post above. Have fun here and let us know if you have further questions!

 

[NexusNick123]

Welcome. This is the second time I heard of this problem. Have you upgraded to 4.3 that when this problem happen to a other user?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome to the forums. I read somewhere that it is an issue with Knox. What exactly I don't know.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC forums app

 

[fryerlawrence]

I am having the same problem, and have gotten this message at least 3-4 times.

Running: Android 4.3 on a GT-I9500

I do not have AVG on my phone that I know of. I am running a free version of Symantec's Norton Mobile App it does not show any security threats.

@ Paul627g Could you please provide a step by step on how to view any "Log" that you are talking about? Some of us like me will consider ourselves noobs because of the always high learning curve on these Dumb Phones..I mean Smart phones.

@ Golfdriver97's comment I do see Knox when I from the main screen hit Apps then I scroll through the pages and find the Knox icon. However, Knox is not installed and says that you need to download and install this app (before it will work I presume)

I did some investigation on the phone itself and found the following:

Security
1. Encrypt Device - Device Encrypted ? - Password required to decrypt device each time you turn it on. (I don't think it is)
2. Unknown Sources - Box is unticked because I have not allowed any apps other than Google Play
3. Verify apps - Box is ticked.
4. Change Security Level - I changed this to High level just now. (Couldn't hurt...lol)
5. Auto Update Security - Box is ticked

Developer Options
1. Protect SD card - Box is ticked because I do want to be notified if apps try to access my SD card.

This is all that I have found. Waiting for further instructions.

Thanks,
-fryer

Update: I received the message again. Only this time I managed to make it to my initial Swipe Down menu screen and noticed a little grey shield and an additional choice:



Then it took me to the submenu Security under Settings Now I am stuck again because it does not show where you can change security prompts that I can tell? It's been just a vicious circle...HAAALP!

By the way for you that do not know how I took a screenshot of my phone. All you have to do is hit the Power Buttion & Home Button at the same time until you hear an audible sound of a camera click and you see the screen flash once. Then the photo has been saved to your phone.

Waiting for further instructions.

Thanks,
-fryer

 

[CraigD_1872]

Hey everyone
I too am receiving the same security message, several times a day. It only began when I updated to 4.3 a few days ago. I can't find a way, or a log, to determine which app is triggering the security warning. I have read about this 'Knox' app, which is on my system but is not active (ticked) I'm not sure if it was present before updating to 4.3 I have tried force stopping it and modules pertaining to that name but it does not help. Can someone please advise. I'm considering doing a reset and installing apps a couple at a time to acertain which is the guilty app but I don't want to have to spend the time in doing so.
Thanks very much for any help and advice anyone can give me.
Craig.

 

[horromark]

I too get this message, It only seems to happen when I switch on WiFi for some reason? Galaxy S4 Upgraded to 4.3?

 

[xerab]

Hey. I just updated to android 4.3 and this message started to come, and it only comes when I turn on WiFi. Its really annoying and it it Knox that triggers the alert. I don't know if it is Knox or what that it the source.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I am having the same problem, and have gotten this message at least 3-4 times.

Running: Android 4.3 on a GT-I9500

I do not have AVG on my phone that I know of. I am running a free version of Symantec's Norton Mobile App it does not show any security threats.

@ Paul627g Could you please provide a step by step on how to view any "Log" that you are talking about? Some of us like me will consider ourselves noobs because of the always high learning curve on these Dumb Phones..I mean Smart phones.

@ Golfdriver97's comment I do see Knox when I from the main screen hit Apps then I scroll through the pages and find the Knox icon. However, Knox is not installed and says that you need to download and install this app (before it will work I presume)

I did some investigation on the phone itself and found the following:

Security
1. Encrypt Device - Device Encrypted ? - Password required to decrypt device each time you turn it on. (I don't think it is)
2. Unknown Sources - Box is unticked because I have not allowed any apps other than Google Play
3. Verify apps - Box is ticked.
4. Change Security Level - I changed this to High level just now. (Couldn't hurt...lol)
5. Auto Update Security - Box is ticked

Developer Options
1. Protect SD card - Box is ticked because I do want to be notified if apps try to access my SD card.

This is all that I have found. Waiting for further instructions.

Thanks,
-fryer

Update: I received the message again. Only this time I managed to make it to my initial Swipe Down menu screen and noticed a little grey shield and an additional choice:

View attachment 91533

Then it took me to the submenu Security under Settings Now I am stuck again because it does not show where you can change security prompts that I can tell? It's been just a vicious circle...HAAALP!

By the way for you that do not know how I took a screenshot of my phone. All you have to do is hit the Power Buttion & Home Button at the same time until you hear an audible sound of a camera click and you see the screen flash once. Then the photo has been saved to your phone.

Waiting for further instructions.

Thanks,
-fryer

Hey everyone
I too am receiving the same security message, several times a day. It only began when I updated to 4.3 a few days ago. I can't find a way, or a log, to determine which app is triggering the security warning. I have read about this 'Knox' app, which is on my system but is not active (ticked) I'm not sure if it was present before updating to 4.3 I have tried force stopping it and modules pertaining to that name but it does not help. Can someone please advise. I'm considering doing a reset and installing apps a couple at a time to acertain which is the guilty app but I don't want to have to spend the time in doing so.
Thanks very much for any help and advice anyone can give me.
Craig.

I too get this message, It only seems to happen when I switch on WiFi for some reason? Galaxy S4 Upgraded to 4.3?

Hey. I just updated to android 4.3 and this message started to come, and it only comes when I turn on WiFi. Its really annoying and it it Knox that triggers the alert. I don't know if it is Knox or what that it the source.

Welcome all to the forums.
For all those who have the issue, I discovered this thread a day or two ago. http://forums.androidcentral.com/general-help-how/334236-unauthorized-app.html
Post #7 is your possible answer.

 

[razorbacks]

This is absolutely coming from Knox. When you long press the notification in the drawer and choose App Info, the app specifically is Knox Notification Manager. What I don't know is how to stop or disable it from popping up a useless warning message (other than Force Stop).

 

[coffen]

Hi All,

I just started getting this as well when I upgraded to 4.3 today. I went into Knox through the application manager and cleared the data and the notification went away. I will have to wait and see if it comes back but for now it seems to have stopped.

 

[coffen]

Update. The icon came back, when I clicked on it, it gave me the option to update it in settings. It appears to be a security policy from Samsung. Once I agreed to it the icon appears to have stopped popping up.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Thanks for posting your follow up. Hopefully this is what everyone is missing, and fixes this issue.

 

[The flynngod]

An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This attempt has been blocked.

I have been getting this message for the last week or so, the only apps I have downloaded are camera ones, I have since deleted the camera app that I had downloaded but still getting the same message, it happens when I try to connect to my home wifi. It doesn't happen when I connect using mobile data. Any suggestions please?

 

[Kenny_lex]

I get this message too and info say that it is Knox that report it but I suspect that knox is blocking ANT+, that is the only app I has that was on phone and I not personally has give systen rights to. ANT+ is for the health apps that come with S4 and I think it try to connect to sensors in the phone.

EDIT: I did long press on notification to see app info, scrolled down to bottom where applications where listed and where you can get more info bby clicking on app name. When I click on 'SysScope' I get a confirmation notice, can this maybe solve the problem?

 

[armyturtle]

I recently updated my phone to 4.3. Immediately I started getting this message on a regular basis. It would happen regardless of WiFi being on or off. I rooted my device and downloaded ROM Toolbox Pro. Within that app there's an "App Management" where you can do all sorts of cool stuff. You can convert user apps to system apps, convert system apps (red) to user apps, you can outright remove ANY app (system or otherwise - BE CAREFUL!) or you can "Freeze" apps. Freezing an app simply makes the app appear to Android as though it's not even installed. It leaves all of the files in place, but I believe it simply changes to extension of the primary file for the app so it cannot run. This is great if you aren't sure about the effect outright removing an app will have. You can always "Defrost" the app and things will return to normal (assuming you don't freeze a required system process that then doesn't allow you to get back into ROM Toolbox App Management).

Someone on this thread mentioned long pressing on the "Security Information" message. I did that and got "App Info." After clicking on "app info" it showed me it was "Knox notification." I simply went into ROM Toolbox Pro App management and FROZE that god damned app (along with anything else "Knox" related).

I really hate carrier provided bloatware... While I was in there I went ahead and removed the "Sprint ID" and anything else Sprint related. Also almost ALL of the Samsung branded garbage like "sVoice" and "sNote" and "sHealth" and Samsung's version of Calendar... I've tried all of them and I don't like any of them. Their sVoice is particularly crappy compared to Google's implementation of search.

My phone runs faster and more reliable as a result - and I've only been reformatted and running on a fresh install for a week!

 

[MikeWoot]

I started getting this message as soon as I updated to 4.3 as well... However, I seem to get the message immediately each time I connect to WiFi. My carrier is T-Mobile, and the message appears whether or not I have WiFi calling on or off... It also still appears after doing the UPDATE that it suggests.

 

[ShonnSac]

I recently updated my phone to 4.3. Immediately I started getting this message on a regular basis. It would happen regardless of WiFi being on or off. I rooted my device and downloaded ROM Toolbox Pro. Within that app there's an "App Management" where you can do all sorts of cool stuff. You can convert user apps to system apps, convert system apps (red) to user apps, you can outright remove ANY app (system or otherwise - BE CAREFUL!) or you can "Freeze" apps. Freezing an app simply makes the app appear to Android as though it's not even installed. It leaves all of the files in place, but I believe it simply changes to extension of the primary file for the app so it cannot run. This is great if you aren't sure about the effect outright removing an app will have. You can always "Defrost" the app and things will return to normal (assuming you don't freeze a required system process that then doesn't allow you to get back into ROM Toolbox App Management).

Someone on this thread mentioned long pressing on the "Security Information" message. I did that and got "App Info." After clicking on "app info" it showed me it was "Knox notification." I simply went into ROM Toolbox Pro App management and FROZE that god damned app (along with anything else "Knox" related).

I really hate carrier provided bloatware... While I was in there I went ahead and removed the "Sprint ID" and anything else Sprint related. Also almost ALL of the Samsung branded garbage like "sVoice" and "sNote" and "sHealth" and Samsung's version of Calendar... I've tried all of them and I don't like any of them. Their sVoice is particularly crappy compared to Google's implementation of search.

My phone runs faster and more reliable as a result - and I've only been reformatted and running on a fresh install for a week!

Question: How did you root your phone? Everything that I've read about 4.3 is that you can't root it...can you direct me to the best place to find any info relative to that? Thanks very much!

I'm on AT&T btw

 

[Breanna Heng]

I was having the problem too! Go to your application manager then ALL, then go to KNOX NOTIFICATIO MANAGER. delete all stored info and clear caches.
Worked for me,