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Author Topic: HTC Handsets - Spyware/Malware  (Read 956 times)

Offline rdfcpete

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HTC Handsets - Spyware/Malware
« on: April 19, 2011, 09:48:20 pm »
Guys,

Downloaded a few new apps at the weekend. Some were recipe stuff, ringtone editors and also Spotify. Mostly commercial crap of different sorts but mostly recognised stuff all from the Android Market.

Today at lunch on my run I was prompted to sign into my Google account with a warning in the alert bar with a warning exclamation sign. Thought it was mildly suspicious but authenticated anyway. Checked my GMail a few hours later and it was full of spam sh*t, around 40 conversations in total. Luckily no-one had replied and I expect email/spam filters will deal with the majority of it. I changed my password immediately (GMail prompted me for it with a 'suspicious behavior' prompt on first laptop sign in) and all seemed fine after.

I removed a few of the Apps I suspect may have had the spyware, but it's just prompted me again to sign in with the malware looking sign in box  :fighting:

What's the best thing to do next?
Download something like AVG for Android?

If I backup at this stage with the HTC phone backup software, could it take the malware with it once I copy back to a fresh handset?  :scared:

Handset is a HTC Wildfire running 2.2  :happy2:

Thanks.
« Last Edit: April 20, 2011, 09:43:17 pm by rdfcpete »
Pete


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Offline rdfcpete

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Re: HTC - Spyware/Malware
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2011, 09:42:41 pm »
Backed up everything to SD Card and contacts to SIM.

Lost my calendar events however as the virus/spyware/malware (call it what you want) disabled the Google sync that allows you to copy your contacts & calendar events. It also prevents any Anroid Market place downloads too as it prompts for the pirate authentication every time you enter the Market. Nasty  :fighting:

In the end I did a factory reset and all is well again, having re-set everything back up. Lost all of my free apps unfortunately.

Just a heads up that this spyware and malware is rife amongst a lot of apps, even some genuine Google apps (which is where I picked it up somewhere along the line).
There's a few google articles about DroidDream which I think is the fuc*er that I had.

Make sure you get AVG anti-virus or similar for your HTC handsets  :happy2:
Pete


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Previous: OEM+ 2006 MK5 Golf GTI 2.0T FSI Steel Grey 3 Door

Offline Andy

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Re: HTC Handsets - Spyware/Malware
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2011, 09:47:05 pm »
Thanks for the heads up--not got any anti virus on my htc phone as yet