Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2, what is it?

[DennisOS2]

Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

A couple of weeks ago a small retangular window began appearing randomly in a random position along the verticle center of the screen and on top of everything else. Different ads rotate within the window. You can see that it starts in the upper left hand corner, but from nothing visible on the notifications bar. There are quit and opt-out buttons on the pop-up. When selecting the opt-out button you're taken to a web page requiring you to put in the three codes for a cell phone or tablet with wireless connection. My 12.2 is WiFi only so, of course, those codes are meanless. They give you a second way to opt-out which is to DL and install an app that performs that function. That app doesn't work. In searching for an app that could be responsible, one one that looks close is a Samsung push service app. Thought I'd post here before randomly deleting apps.

Chance this is malware? Anyone experience this problem? Thanks for any help

Additional info from the address bar of the opt-out web page:

Opt-out of mobile recommendations

 

[Traylaw]

You can turn off Samsung's Push Service, you don't need it anyways.
But it sounds like an app that got installed recently is causing this. Assuming you are not rooted you should be able to simply remove any app you not sure of. Samsung will not let you remove any app you really need.....and in many cases they won't let you remove / turn off apps you don't need and don't want ( aka pre-installed apps )
Besure to only install apps from Google or Samsung and you might try installing an antivirus app to scan your device for anything unusual.

 

[DennisOS2]

Re: Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

Thanks for great advice. Have looked a couple times and found only one I couldn't recognize. Deleted it ...... no change. I'll take your other suggestions as well.

 

[DennisOS2]

You can turn off Samsung's Push Service, you don't need it anyways.
But it sounds like an app that got installed recently is causing this. Assuming you are not rooted you should be able to simply remove any app you not sure of. Samsung will not let you remove any app you really need.....and in many cases they won't let you remove / turn off apps you don't need and don't want ( aka pre-installed apps )
Besure to only install apps from Google or Samsung and you might try installing an antivirus app to scan your device for anything unusual.

Tried your suggestions .......... no joy. Searched Yahoo and found other people with this problem. No one had a way to get rid of it. There should be a way to track the pop-up by the app from which it originates?? I haven't disabled the Samsung push service because the pop-up only started a month ago, and I've had the tablet for about 9mo at this point. So, did it come from opening an email attachment, visiting a shopping site? All apps I've DL'd from the app store.

 

[muzzy996]

Probably from an app. Just because it came from the app store doesn't mean it's harmless IMO. This is pure speculation on my part based on how things work on PC's but if its malware that came in through an app there is a chance it will not go away even though the app that allowed it in is removed.

Wish I could help but I have never had any experience with popups/malware on my android devices. Best I can offer is to think back in time and try removing the most recently installed applications one by one. Only other thing to do is to factory reset the device and install everything all over again.

This is in part why I love rooting BTW . . makes restoring devices to previous states a breeze, provided one does regular backups of course, which also is easy to schedule and do with root.

 

[DennisOS2]

Re: Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

Thanks Muzzy996, I just remembered I left the switch checked that allows apps to be installed from unknown sources.
Dumb, dumb, dumb. Ya, I did think about the possiblity of factory reset. At this point I'm just trying to alert the community.

 

[Traylaw]

Re: Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

Check to see if any app has administrative access. Go to setting > general>security>device administrator. What apps are listed and is there a check mark next to the app?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Carlo Villa]

Re: Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

Thanks Muzzy996, I just remembered I left the switch checked that allows apps to be installed from unknown sources.
Dumb, dumb, dumb. Ya, I did think about the possiblity of factory reset. At this point I'm just trying to alert the community.

Do a factory reset, it will clean the system. I do this every month and my tablet is buttery smooth

 

[bill-e]

Re: Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

I had the same thing happen to me. Mine came from the HDWallpaper app I had. I just deleted the app and the pop-up went away.

 

[DennisOS2]

Re: Pop-up Ad of Unknown Origin on NotePro 12.2

Sorry for not getting back sooner. I remembered that each app that had some sort of notification, if not critical, can be shut off with just a check box in the App Info screen. I went to a number of Apps that could be the culprit and check the box. Honestly can't remember what the offending app was, but when the 'no notification' box was checked there were no further intrusive notices from that app.