My first phone virus

[Mustachio]

I went to the Sprint store and they couldn't tell me whether the malware was from HTC or Sprint, but they did show me the following:

This is the default unlock screen that you get if you specify a password when you go into Settings > Security > Set Up Screen Lock > Password. You will notice that it is identical to the malware unlock screen except that the latter has the grammatically-challenged threat message below the entry field. IMO the hackers purposely want you to think this is the HTC/Sprint password unlock screen.

Once the malware took over neither the Sprint rep nor I could access the HBOOT menu. Dunno how the Sprint tech did it the first time. But regardless both the second time and this time we simply entered 10 garbage passwords and let the malware reset the phone on its own. Then I could access HBOOT and make sure the phone was reset properly (by doing it myself).

Since I'm convinced the malware is one of the apps in my Android Market apps list (the horror!) I'm sure that the malware will return the next time I sync the apps back onto the phone. So I told the Sprint rep to take the EVO 3D off my account, replacing it with my old EVO 4G. I've reset the password to my Android account so the EVO 4G cannot access Android Market, which will prevent the malware from getting onto it.

I plan to use the EVO 3D to install the Market apps one-by-one, and when until the malware comes back I'll let you know which it was.

Funny that Google set up the Market to be the only source of apps to prevent something just like this from happening. So much for trusting Google.

Anyone know a phone number/email address at Google and/or the Market where I can report this?

 

[the2ndflood]

That looks like a virus to me, but I haven't had that happen to me. I have antivirus software installed on my phone, which has caught viruses on my phone before they could cause problems. Its sad that we have to worry about computer viruses on our phones. I still remember reading about the very first computer virus used to attack Android phones. The first virus wasn't a major threat, but it left me wondering who would write such a virus. Was it Apple, or maybe one of the antivirus companies? Whoever wrote is a piece of trash though. Hopefully you don't encounter anymore AndroidOS computer virues.



Posted Using My Sprint HTC EVO3D Using Tapatalk -

 

[Mustachio]

OK, I finally have this resolved. It turns out the "rogue" app is Good For Enterprise, an app I installed from the Android Market so I could read my work emails on my phone. I had been using the app for years with no problems. I think there must have been some kind of change in my employer's security policies last month, because Good now requires that the entire phone be locked after a certain period of inactivity. And yes, not only does my employer require this, but they also require that the phone be wiped after 10 incorrect password entries. They'd rather wipe the data than let it get into the hands of hackers. But then this is MY phone, not theirs. SIGH.

It looks like everything is working as designed, basically, with complications being my not being notified by my employer of this policy change, along with there being no identifying logo or other information on the lock screen telling which app was requiring the lock. The grammar error only made the problem more difficult to diagnose.

So I think the responsible party in this case is my employer, not Good. I believe Good only does what their clients (my employer) require of them, similar to how HTC's phones can be limited--or not--in accordance with Sprint's requirements. I say this to reassure other users or prospective users of Good that they won't necessarily encounter this lock screen problem simply because they decide to use Good. You can't use Good unless your employer also uses it, and authorizes you to use it, after all.

So in summary: this entire thread is basically a false alarm, created by a lack of communication.

Android still doesn't have any virii of which I'm aware.

As for me, I'm going to keep Good for the time being. It had been set to lock the screen immediately upon the screen going dark, but I was able to set it to not lock until 15 minutes of inactivity has elapsed. This is still annoying, since I don't want my phone locked, but I'll put up with it until I get fed up with entering the password (which I now know).

 

[Wiley_11]

Glad to hear you figured it out. What a nightmare!!

 

[Thrillhouse617]

Makes sense!

I did not setup work exchange on my personal phone intentionally. Thats why I have a work phone and thats why I don't check it all the time. I am *not* giving my employer the right to wipe my phone if they feel fit!

 

[cgardnervt]

Thanks for the update!

 

[NewEVO3D215]

I'm glad you were able to figure out the problem. Your employer really needs better communication!

Sent from my 3VO using Tapatalk.

 

[PMGRANDS]

Wow... That's Crazy! Thanx for the OP!