App named "white" and suspicious activity

[Anthony Butner]

I have a LG K8 (2018) for about 3 months with issues until a few days ago. Now It seems like its actually fighting me. Ex: I tried to Google a question like "phone acting up today along with a app named "white"....." Literally before I got to hit search. The page dropped and the keyboard was alone on a solid blue background. Everything was unresponsive I had to do a hard restart. When it rebooted my screen lock wasn't there instead I got a distorted verse of my home page. Icons where blurry and oversized. So I immediately tried to restart it again in Safe mode and the screen started rotating crazy and I was holding it completely still. After a minute or so of holding the power button the screen when solid blue again with the restart option alone. I pressed it but it did nothing so in my frustration I feverishly tapped it repeatedly. After a few hundred taps it looked like it was powering off but it had same blue screen on for way to long then it viberates and the screen goes dark but it have a very faint glow to it. I thought maybe I'm seeing things so I cut the lights in the room and I wasn't crazy IT GLOWED! It didn't start to reboot for bout 2-3 mins. When it was up and running again no screen lock which is always on. And again distorted home with a blurry"SAFE MODE" ghosted on it. So I go to investigate the subject that started my nightmare app named "white" smiling at me. I opened it and nothing looked evil so I cast a wider net looking in app permissions and I found the little guy in almost everywhere. Its was excluded from power saving and in no disturbing and the kick it was the.PHONE.ADMIN!! So I open the app and noticed small inconsistencies like the version every time I tried in vain to stop and disable it. Again the blue screen and I SWEAR I heard a voice say "Do it" then the screen had apps opened that I haven't opened in days music apps playing but music is statically and photo app and other. So I tried every button NOTHING. I shoved it to hamper on dirty laundry to drown the notice in a few.minute.i prevailed. I thought. I knew.to try and.screenshot.as much as.i.could and I open photo and started.moving the.pics.to.SD.card.cause that.was the only available option was available and that process was chaotic so when I believed I actually move the bulk I go into the worthless antivirus app and the screen was dead to touch. Finally in desperation I start to get the only hard evidence and crack the phone open to get.SD while the phone is possessed screen going into areas of the phone i didnt knew it hard. Something that looked like p
Old DOS screen. I had the SD in hand and get a older phone I had to see what kind of proof and very little i posted what I save and a couple other pics of duplicate apps I noticed the day before this I was going to see if that's normal

 

[Mooncatt]

The "white" app looks to be a system app. System apps are often confused for being something nefarious due to their names. So that doesn't bother me much.

All the glitching going on, especially with it happening in safe mode, makes me think either a major software bug or hardware defect. This would be one of the few times I'd suggest a factory reset first. If that doesn't work (and I suspect it won't, but is usually requested by tech support before allowing a warranty exchange anyway), then it'll need to be sent for repair or replacement. Hopefully you have everything backed up or it's still functional enough to do so.

Btw, the "glowing" screen is nothing special. That phone has an LCD screen, and the backlight was stuck on. That can happen on occasion, especially if encountering lag and you try turning the screen off/on.

 

[Anthony Butner]

The "white" app looks to be a system app. System apps are often confused for being something nefarious due to their names. So that doesn't bother me much.

All the glitching going on, especially with it happening in safe mode, makes me think either a major software bug or hardware defect. This would be one of the few times I'd suggest a factory reset first. If that doesn't work (and I suspect it won't, but is usually requested by tech support before allowing a warranty exchange anyway), then it'll need to be sent for repair or replacement. Hopefully you have everything backed up or it's still functional enough to do so.

Btw, the "glowing" screen is nothing special. That phone has an LCD screen, and the backlight was stuck on. That can happen on occasion, especially if encountering lag and you try turning the screen off/on.

I appreciate your response and your time. I read that about 2 hours after I wrote it and I thought it sounded like I was absolutely crazy and some administrator would read it and boot me. It was alot of glitches all at once and in rapid session. I thought either the phone was possessed or hacked. I've seen a few glitches before but that freaked me out.
If you have another minute to help with the first unusual thing I noticed days ago. As you guess I'm not tech savvy and I'm way behind the curve.Tell me if the multiple double of the apps might be a cause of the glitch or is it normal. I personally never seen this before.

 

[Rukbat]

If a factory reset doesn't work (it probably won't), if you feel up to it, you can reflash the ROM. See https://www.getdroidtips.com/stock-firmware-lg-k8-m1v/ (That gives you back the phone that came out of the box.)

 

[Mooncatt]

Re: App named "white" and suspicious activity

I appreciate your response and your time. I read that about 2 hours after I wrote it and I thought it sounded like I was absolutely crazy and some administrator would read it and boot me. It was alot of glitches all at once and in rapid session. I thought either the phone was possessed or hacked. I've seen a few glitches before but that freaked me out.
If you have another minute to help with the first unusual thing I noticed days ago. As you guess I'm not tech savvy and I'm way behind the curve.Tell me if the multiple double of the apps might be a cause of the glitch or is it normal. I personally never seen this before.

Trust me, it takes a lot to get banned here. Lol. As long as you're sincere, you have nothing to worry about.

Regarding the duplicate apps, that's common for system apps and not a problem. I don't know all the specifics, but it's likely something to the effect of one handles the user interface or settings, and the other handles the core functions. I have duplicate Bluetooth and system update apps on my LG V20 and no issues related to that.

 

[Anthony Butner]

Re: App named "white" and suspicious activity

I truly appreciate you two for your expertise and your professionalism. I be honest if I read that and seen the few pics of nothing that supports my story I would reply and ask if I had anymore of what I took. LOL. I'm going to power it up here in a bit and I took the.SIM out and going to see how it acts.

 

[Anthony Butner]

If a factory reset doesn't work (it probably won't), if you feel up to it, you can reflash the ROM. See https://www.getdroidtips.com/stock-firmware-lg-k8-m1v/ (That gives you back the phone that came out of the box.)

Rukbat thankks for taking you advice and for your time cause I can only imagine how busy you can be with you position. If not successful in the reset I'll use that as an excuse to go buy me a nicer one like I been looking at on the adds here. Thanks again kind sir

 

[Anthony Butner]

Re: App named "white" and suspicious activity

Mooncat I cant thank you enough for everything. You helped me more than you know. I was really taken back and panicked thinkioi had just been hacked and lost my identity and all the horrors that comes with that. So when I seen your post and considered you know more than I ever will it calmed me and I stopped checking my bank accounts and credit cards every 5 minutes waiting to here the worst. So thanks again and keep doing good work it will come back to you.

 

[Mooncatt]

Re: App named "white" and suspicious activity

So thanks again and keep doing good work it will come back to you.

That's what we're here for.

 

[Tick3758]

Don't listen to any of it

I appreciate your response and your time. I read that about 2 hours after I wrote it and I thought it sounded like I was absolutely crazy and some administrator would read it and boot me. It was alot of glitches all at once and in rapid session. I thought either the phone was possessed or hacked. I've seen a few glitches before but that freaked me out.
If you have another minute to help with the first unusual thing I noticed days ago. As you guess I'm not tech savvy and I'm way behind the curve.Tell me if the multiple double of the apps might be a cause of the glitch or is it normal. I personally never seen this before.

You and many people are now victims of a DBA bridge. A spy app that literally comes with our phones. It was activated when you gave your phone to a friend. Used an open wifi or gave out your wifi. Wait it gets worse.. Until recently the thieves had to physically have your phone. Nor OT can be done by Bluetooth from a loaded second phone and in 20secs your phone is theirs...forever!

When you hard reset back to factory your phone will auto delete any apps that will show it in use.
Police use this feature and sell phones online as non traceable.

There is also a user app that allows user control and will often layer home screen so you wont see what is going on and when you catch it you thing its just background...its not.
When you call the police they can not find it. Your phone company will denied that can even be done.
Your have to clear the phone and root a new OS. If not then they can operate remotely and infect everyone you love. If your computers start showing port 5555 error they have added that too either from phone to computer while connected to usb/bluetootg/or wifi
Spy app for sure but no one will tell you that
I just bought new laptop and phone.
Be mindful of old phonesl land laptop As if on will transfer.
DO NOT TRANSFER INFO FROM PHONE OR LAPTOP!!!!!!!

 

[Mooncatt]

Re: Don't listen to any of it

You and many people are now victims of a DBA bridge. A spy app that literally comes with our phones. It was activated when you gave your phone to a friend. Used an open wifi or gave out your wifi. Wait it gets worse.. Until recently the thieves had to physically have your phone. Nor OT can be done by Bluetooth from a loaded second phone and in 20secs your phone is theirs...forever!

When you hard reset back to factory your phone will auto delete any apps that will show it in use.
Police use this feature and sell phones online as non traceable.

There is also a user app that allows user control and will often layer home screen so you wont see what is going on and when you catch it you thing its just background...its not.
When you call the police they can not find it. Your phone company will denied that can even be done.
Your have to clear the phone and root a new OS. If not then they can operate remotely and infect everyone you love. If your computers start showing port 5555 error they have added that too either from phone to computer while connected to usb/bluetootg/or wifi
Spy app for sure but no one will tell you that
I just bought new laptop and phone.
Be mindful of old phonesl land laptop As if on will transfer.
DO NOT TRANSFER INFO FROM PHONE OR LAPTOP!!!!!!!

Welcome to the forums, but considering this is your first post and you came out of the gate with something like this and with no links/sources to back up your claims (searching "DBA bridge" only returns links related to higher education), I'm just going to chalk it up to fear mongering. And because I'm denying your claims, I'm sure you'll just say I'm part of the conspiracy theory too.

 

[anon(50597)]

Re: Don't listen to any of it

Welcome to the forums, but considering this is your first post and you came out of the gate with something like this and with no links/sources to back up your claims (searching "DBA bridge" only returns links related to higher education), I'm just going to chalk it up to fear mongering. And because I'm denying your claims, I'm sure you'll just say I'm part of the conspiracy theory too.

Amazing someone would go to the trouble of joining the forums……for this.

 

[B. Diddy]

Um ... welcome to Android Central, I guess?

But please don't bring that kind of unsubstantiated hoo-ha to this forum. You can believe what you want, and I would simply suggest not using a smartphone if you're scared about this. But to the rest of the forum reading this -- you're fine. Read these for some rational ideas:

“I’ve been hacked” - Android Forums at AndroidCentral.com
[GUIDE] How To Avoid Malware - Android Forums at AndroidCentral.com

 

[Mooncatt]

Re: Don't listen to any of it

Amazing someone would go to the trouble of joining the forums……for this.

Maybe they saw this story and decided to run with it, or was one of the people caught by it?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/06/08/fbi-app-arrests-australia-crime/

 

[B. Diddy]

Well ok, thanks for the info. Keep your phone safe. As you mentioned, this kind of thing would really only be possible if you let other people handle your phone, so that would be lesson #1 for everyone reading this.

 

[Mdeeds 2]

I'm having the same problem.l think systems app white could be the malefactor but I'm not sure. White is also located in developers mode menu under background check.
I have numerous dual systems apps. Not different apps with same icons.
I also have a lg. The systems app "game launcher" transformed into the systems app "music" before my very eyes. It took about 3 seconds to fully change and was strangely pulsing. Sounds incredible,l know. But still facts. I also observed two different apps appear on the home screen uninvited. I don't remember the first one because I uninstalled it before I took note. The second one was LinkedIn. It disappeared immediately. It was by chance that l made all three of those observations. Who knows how many l didn't see. About 4 days before the LinkedIn app made it's brief appearance there was a strange green onion shaped logo with the word in inside it on my search bar in chrome. In was colored white.
I have factory reset at least 4 times. Tried a VPN, changed Google accounts, passwords.
No change.
Whatever it is has had access to my bank account and cash app because the respective apps were downloaded from a fake playstore.
I'm not sure when I was redirected to that replica but it's a lot more advanced than the one that's been reported.
It's not possible for me to root my phone at the moment so I will continue to educate myself about this subject. As long as l don't restrict any of its self proclaimed rights to my privacy (well maybe I should read the fine print) it isn't really noticable.
Nothing out of the ordinary until I decided to restrict background data for all apps with that option

I appreciate your response and your time. I read that about 2 hours after I wrote it and I thought it sounded like I was absolutely crazy and some administrator would read it and boot me. It was alot of glitches all at once and in rapid session. I thought either the phone was possessed or hacked. I've seen a few glitches before but that freaked me out.
If you have another minute to help with the first unusual thing I noticed days ago. As you guess I'm not tech savvy and I'm way behind the curve.Tell me if the multiple double of the apps might be a cause of the glitch or is it normal. I personally never seen this before.