Malware / Spyware on Umidigi S2 Pro ?

Michael_Berlin

Another good news: no stagefright vulnerability

Several Apps find now after deactivation of touchpal northing

Midiman

Michael_Berlin replied at 2018-1-14 08:16
About the adware: since I deactivated in the settings the touchpal-adware and removed all permission ...

Same with me. I disabled all permissions for the QuickTouch and the TouchPal, and I also moved Quicktouch into the "Freezer" (app that comes with phone to freeze apps rarely used). Appears that Quicktouch is a sort of Launcher app for quick access to apps on the home scree and I do not need that; TouchPal seems to be the stock keyboard and I could not get Swype to work with it anyhow so I installed a swype keyboard from Google Play.

Now when I run Malwarebytes, Norton, AVG, Avast, those two apps are not seen as threats.

I was ready to sell my S2 Pro phone on ebay but now I am excited to keep the phone. I can not be sure the hardware / firmware is safe, but I do not think Umidigi would put malware in the hardware because if that was done, and was discovered, it would be the end of a fine company. Still, for now I do not play to use any online banking or email that could jeopardize my finances or privacy, etc. I am also replacing stock apps such as the phone's Dialer and messaging app with other apps off Google Play, for added security, and then "freezing" the stock apps (and disapling their permissions). And if the time comes when a reliable rooting and flashing of a custom ROM is possible, and safe, I might consider that.

Bonus-- phone has been on now almost 2 days and the battery is at 50%, amazing battery life! This, and the beautiful look of the phone, is why I want to keep the Umidigi S2 Pro !

Mokil

If I uninstall Lantern app it reappears when I reboot my phone.

Midiman

Mokil replied at 2018-1-15 22:27
If I uninstall Lantern app it reappears when I reboot my phone.

I do not have a Lantern app on my Umi S2 Pro. I do have a Flashlight app. You could always deny all permissions to an app, even a system app, and then also put it in the "Freezer" app that comes with the phone. That would effectively make the Lantern app crippled and useless and of no threat.

Midiman

Adware from hell returned last night, so I am doing lots of app disabling, toggling OFF various app features such as "draw over", hoping this solves the issue otherwise I will sell the phone on ebay.

Midiman

I paid $300 plus shipping for the phone, unbelievable I have to now deal with spyware / adware. Never again. I would have kept buying phones from Umi if the phones had come with stock Android OS and not Umi OS with adware system apps. I did a factory reset of the phone, so no apps other than what are on the phone, and still the adware. I should not have to spend days tweaking permissions of apps to stop the push ads, etc.

Michael_Berlin

...but to be fair: samsung smartphones also had adware - even for 900 USD

Midiman

Michael_Berlin replied at 2018-1-14 08:16
About the adware: since I deactivated in the settings the touchpal-adware and removed all permission ...

I have spent hours tweaking stock umidigi apps, permissions, "draw over" permissions, freezing apps, and replacing stock umidigi apps with Google PLAY apps without adware, and also turning OFF auto update for Google Play store apps and for Umidigi app store, and I think I am finally getting to the point I have a nice Umidigi S2 Pro phone without airpush or other ads. I hope. It will be worth it if this works because the phone itself is wonderful aesthetically and for hardware (screen, battery, cpu, etc). A nice $300 phone instead of $800 for a Samsung Galaxy S8; just takes time and a little frustration figuring out how to disable ads (airpush, etc).

Addons Detector app from Google Play store has been a wonderful tool, easily shows when apps have adware in them, so useful after downloading an app off PLAY to know to keep or trash the downloaded PLAY app. I finally have replacement apps without adware, and have Umidigi stock system apps disabled (that inject ads, even full screen ads).

Also running Malwarebytes but it does not detect the adware like Addons Detector app does. But of course I want anti-malware protection, especially as I am disabling auto update for all apps (except Malwarebytes).

Solviken

Atleast it didnt test positive for the adups. Not liking the adware but that was easly disabled , kinda expected that fromt this beeing a chinese phone.

What concerns me is the "Theme" app wich malwarebytes says is a riskware. have it disabled now. Any ideas?

bobkill01

\n\nHello,

The same...,

i have 3 Adware / Malware on the Umidigi S2 Pro

Can we have an answer about official moderator or constructor ?

We can't delete them because included in Operating system...

Tanks you