GS7 installing apps on it's own, not from play store with secure sources only turned on

[AC Question]

I turn my phone off almost every night however this morning for some reason when I woke up my phone had several new apps installed on it, I only noticed right away because as soon as I flipped to the home page the "Yahoo Mail" app popped right up, I never authorized this so when I went to check it out in settings I noticed several other new apps in the app drawer, the first of which was "app finder". So I uninstalled this and noticed several others. I didn't uninstall any others until I made a list of each of them, which I will include below.

I did a bit of research and think the AppFinder may have been from Verizon but I have my doubts about this... I also disabled "DT Ignite" and for what it's worth my phone is not rooted, the Google play store shows NONE of the apps that were installed to be in the "My Apps" section, and my phone is set to not download from nonsecure sources (I think this means Google Play Store Only). I looked around on my main computer to find anything that could be pushing apps to my Google account but found nothing, and double checked through my Google account for the linked services and found again nothing. I do have avast for android installed and I've ran a couple scans but nothing turned up, at this point I'm stumped, I doubt this is an issue which I'd have to format my device over and I can't think of anywhere I might have picked up any form of malware, but at this point I'm completely stumped.

Also it's not an update as the last one of those I had was toward the beginning of December

The Apps that were installed are:
Drop assault
news republic
Yahoo mail
App finder
Z Camera

 

[keshav9]

When was the last time you updated your device? And what is the current build no. of your device?
You know, search on play store like 'last installed apps' and install an app that gives you list of all by installed date, to check when these apps were exactly installed?

 

[Mark Selden]

Same exact thing happened to me. I had installed Amazon Prime Video app that day; was wondering if connected. Had you installed Amazon too?
App Finder does seem to be affiliated with Verizon.

 

[8bitmantra]

This is Op btw, it's funny that you ask that. I actually noticed that Amazon Prime video was now installed on my device, though I don't remember installing it, I just kinda assumed it was already there, I don't know if it installed with these apps or whats up, but it may be linked in some way. For what it's worth though the most recent install I had on my phone (that night just before turning my phone off and going to bed) was the app "Boost for reddit"

the last time I updated my device was according to the settings, December 3rd 2016 (the day after I got the phone) and the software was updated to: G930VVRU4API3

 

[P-NoyBoy]

Hello everyone, I am having the same issue.

I decided to download App Install Tracker and found the apps listed below as being installed on January 1st. I want to note that I already had Yahoo mail installed on my device. When looking at the obvious apps that I hadn't installed, the addition to being installed on the 1st is Movile Device Information Provider v. 1.0.11.0_5910. I can't open the app and didn't see any app information about it. When trying to open app information for it, it says it isn't installed.

Anyways, my question for you guys that found these installed, do you guys have Go SMS Pro Installed? I've been noticing that the app has been going crazy with their ads and push notifications. When opening the information on the app from the Play Store, by going through App Installer Tracker to open it in the store, and I see that it was developed by the GO team, making me suspect that it is the cause of Go SMS Pro. Please let me know if we have that app in common. I also have secure app installation turned off.

Thanks.

App Finder (which I deleted that day)
Drop Assault
News Republic
Prime Video
Mobile Device Information Provider
Z Camera

 

[8bitmantra]

I don't have Go SMS Pro installed to my knowledge, just did a check through - showing system apps and nothing...

Edit: So I just installed the app install tracker app you just mentioned and I also have the "Mobile Device Information Provider" app, and when I clicked on it, it also said it's not installed... I'm gonna assume that it's something with the system as when I scrolled down I saw a bunch of android system apps which are probably updates or something, I could be wrong I'm relatively new to android so let me know if so

ALSO the app revealed to me that Prime video did indeed install that day, but I sure as heck didn't authorize it, I'm using now currently as I had just purchased prime the day before (maybe that has something to do with this whole thing? ) but yeah so now we can tack that app onto the list of these apps

My Updated list

-Drop assault
-news republic
-Yahoo mail
-App finder
-Z Camera
-Amazon Prime Video ( did not authorize this one - possible weird coincidences, did you guys also purchase prime within a day or 2 of these apps appearing?)

Last edit: I double checked the installed services from the install history and those were just some themes and the like that I've downloaded so yeah

 

[sydneycooper1979]

Are you on Verizon by any chance?

 

[8bitmantra]

I am

 

[sydneycooper1979]

Check and see if DTIgnite is disabled on your device. You will have to make sure system apps are showing.

 

[LP-LXXXI]

Just found the same apps on my S7 today too. Verizon carrier. IIRC the last app I installed was amazon Alexa, but it may have been a random game as well. Seems like amazon is the common denominator so far in people's stories

 

[Noah Sesing]

I am experiencing this exact issue. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge on Verizon. I found an article that does indeed implicate Verizon and the app, DT Ignite. In application manager you can see if the app is installed by checking the option for "Show System Apps."

PSA: Verizon's Shady 'DT Ignite' App Is Silently Installing Adware on Phones « Android Gadget Hacks

Thanks for asking and adding to this thread.

 

[8bitmantra]

I did a bit of research after the event and disabled DT Ignite, the same day of the event. According to Verizon however (I'm getting this information here: https://9to5google.com/2016/05/09/verizon-dt-ignite-galaxy-s7-statement/ ) they only plan on using the DT Ignite services during the initial bootup... I'm not sure if they lied, or the source is wrong but still :/

 

[8bitmantra]

It seems to me January 1st also has something to do with it, if I may ask did you find these installed today after your phone being closed or off until this point? or have you been using your phone normally before today?

 

[LP-LXXXI]

Use it normally every day -- I noticed a few days ago (maybe even on the 1st) when I updated all of my apps that Yahoo was in the and I thought to myself, how did I miss disabling this from when I first got the phone and didn't think much of it until today when I was scrolling my home screens and saw AppFinder added an icon to one of the screens, which prompted me to look in my AppList and saw the 5 new apps all right there. Immediately deleted all of them, found the DT Ignite and disabled it