Adups spyware included?

nevermind85

\n\nSo, playing around with the phone I saw these packages that reminded me of an article I had read recently: http://www.kryptowire.com/adups_security_analysis.html

$ adb devices -l
List of devices attached
0123456789ABCDEF       device usb:3-2 product:UMI_Z model:Z device:UMI Z

$ adb shell pm list packages|grep adups
package:com.adups.fota.sysoper
package:com.adups.fota

Of course trying to disable them without root doesn't work. And I don't want to root becase I would like to get Android 7 OTA whenever is ready.

Running the following:

1. adb shell pm dump com.adups.fota

Copy the Code

gets you a pretty scary list of information which I suspect (but haven't confirmed) is being sent out.

Seriously considering returning this phone.

nevermind85

Ah, interesting. So it doesn't affect all versions. Sorry for the paranoia.

Found this report that seems to have more technical details: http://www.trustlook.com/threat/adups/

Tux

Does anyone have any experience using Debloater?

Sounds like there has been some success removing adups with this method, but I don't know if this would also prevent the FOTA upgrades from working as well?

nevermind85

Debloater won't work because last September patches changed the permissions you get with adb shell, so now trying to disable anything gives you an error:

1. Error: java.lang.SecurityException: Neither user 2000 nor current process has android.permission.MANAGE_USERS

Copy the Code

See this thread.

bencebacsi

The AdupsFota.apk (app name: Wireless update) performs the FOTA updates, it's not a spyware. If you disable it, you won't be able to receive FOTA updates. Some specific models of some specific brands were reported as ones containing infected versions of that app. Any UMi models has never been reported. The updater server (managed by Shanghai Adups Technology Co. Ltd.) needs access some specific data of your phone (IMEI, IP, current version info etc.) to be able to process the updates.