Malware / Spyware on Umidigi S2 Pro ?

Midiman

The system software on the S2 Pro includes two apps that Malwarebytes is detecting.

Quicktouch apparently contains the following adware as detected by Malwarebytes:
Android/Adware.Xinyinhe.CJ

TouchPal 2017 apparently contains the following adware  as detected by Malwarebytes:
Android/Adware.Cootek

They are system apps so they are not so easily removed. Should they be removed, can they be removed without severely affecting the phone? What do Quicktouch and TouchPal 2017 do?

MarcinP

Solviken replied at 2018-1-21 03:41
There is nothing to confirm really, we all know they contain the apps thats mentioned above. What  ...

Some apps are just part of system. I don't know why they are there because I didn't put them there. There is some reason but definitely nobody is using those apps to copy users data.

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 !

Midiman

It bothers me enough that today (day 2 of owning and using the S2 Pro) I am thinking do I sell my Umidigi S2 Pro on ebay and get what I can, and just go and buy a different phone locally. How can i trust the umi phone for my online banking, for passwords for my email and google (android) account? I did not expect the phone to have system apps with adware or perhaps worse. Thoughts?

Daphone

I would never use any phone for anything but what a phone should be used for, so no NFC / phone payment or credit card stuff on there, i can barely handle that on the PC.
If you have the slightest care about your personal information and so on, a phone are not the right choice for you.
Sure i have one too, but only as circumstances i can not ignore force me to, as soon as that are no longer the case my phone go bye bye again.

Some also say that all Chinese made electronics have "stuff" in it, not so sure about that, cuz if it was the case and people found out, even a juggernaut like Huawei would die over night,,,,, at least that's how it should be if people are sane, and one can then question that with the ammount of info people hand over them self for fun.
Personally i dont get a company like facetwitt even exist, i wouldn't touch it with a red hot poker.

Michael_Berlin

There is an additional Trojan on board. Unfortunately there are no OTA planned.

Michael_Berlin

About Touchpal: is only for sending ad spam - go to settings --> apps and remove all permissions

Midiman

Michael_Berlin replied at 2018-1-13 07:35
There is an additional Trojan on board. Unfortunately there are no OTA planned.

So is it unsafe to use the phone for passwords, especially for online banking, email? This is alarming.

kika13

Midiman replied at 2018-1-13 22:25
So is it unsafe to use the phone for passwords, especially for online banking, email? This is alar ...

I would say it is NOT safe.
I''m personnaly afraid to use the android operating system they installed because I don't trust their application.
I would appreciate that UMIDIGI don't spend time and money to add these application and force us to keep them. It is worst that Samsung OS.
I hope to find a way to only have a basic android Operating System without all these additionaly UMIDIGI "gift" !
My previous Samsung is quite dead but I will not migrate to my new S2 Pro until I removed all these malware or unwanted application that push to me advertissments everywhere (during charging, during unlock phase, etc etc)

Midiman

Update:
Malwarebytes mobile antimalware detected the 2 adware "infections" in the system software for Umidigi S2 Pro
Norton Mobile antivirus did NOT detect any adware or malware, but did advise me of KRACK wifi vulnerability (which I believe has NOTHING to do with the phone, it has to do with my wifi / ourter)
AVG mobile anitvirus did not detect adware, but did advise me to activate AVG's protection for web browsers and for SMS messaging, which i did.

So, now I am in research mode. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE UMIDIGI phone (S2 Pro) if I can be convinced it is safe. I also posted on an android forum to ask experts if I can trust this phone for email, passwords, online banking, and so on; if not, I will sell it on ebay; but perhaps the adware is not a big deal especially as those two apps can have their permissions turned off so as not be function.

Midiman

Midiman replied at 2018-1-14 03:05
Update:
Malwarebytes mobile antimalware detected the 2 adware "infections" in the system software fo ...

I think those are excellent points!
I am thinking I will keep my new Umidigi phone, but.... I have been going further down the rabbit hole (Alice in Wonderland) and am learning disturbing facts about ALL phones:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kryptowire-discovered-mobile-phone-firmware-that-transmitted-personally-identifiable-information-pii-without-user-consent-or-disclosure-300362844.html
https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-mobiles.en.html
^^^
I am not going to do email nor anything financial on my phone or any phone, until i can ROOT my new phone and also put a stock ROM (firmware) without such spyware that sends private information to criminals.I hope to find a way to root my umidigi s2 pro and put a trusted stock ROM firmware on it within the next 2-6 months.

Michael_Berlin

About the adware: since I deactivated in the settings the touchpal-adware and removed all permissions from the app, I receive no advertisement anymore.