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I don’t know if it’s an age thing, as in phone years = two years being geriatric or what but it’s been doing some weird stuff.
Periodically, it’ll crash. The screen will totally freeze with it either on the home screen or a black screen as though it’s switched off. Ho hum, yet another battery pull to rectify it.
It doesn’t like too many text messages so I have to regularly do a bit of housekeeping there. Related to that, typing is starting to irritate me on there. The predictive seems to have a mind of its own and, well, it just winds me up so I end up making calls instead of texting.
Some of my text messages have vanished without me deleting them! I’ve noticed texts can be located in the SIM contact and the phone contact yet strangely my SIM tells me it has no texts. Nevertheless, when I’ve decided to embarked on a housekeeping mission, I learn that messages I intended on keeping have gone before I’ve even started deleting anything!
For a while, the phone also didn’t seem to know where I was. I was and still am in the UK and a few times, it put me in Balkan. That’s great. I’m all for a free holiday but it could have warned me so I could have packed properly!
It likes to use data even when I’m not even touching the phone! Whenever I pick up the phone, I always check next to my network that there is no counter. However, often when I pick it up I can see an hour or two has passed on a counter meaning its gobbling data. What’s spooky about this is that I’m meticulous about switching stuff off that uses data and it still turns itself on! This was the whole reason I didn’t take this phone on holiday last year; I reverted to my LG Renoir because it was safer!
The last thing it’s done, just a few minutes ago is re-start itself! I wasn’t even using it; it was just sat on the table next to me minding its own business and decided to re-start. Why?
After the Balkan incident happened a few times, my Mum said my phone was crazy. I agree with her.
Has anyone else had weird stuff happen on their phones?
If you have not tried it yet I would do a hard reset. Power your HD2 on while holding down both the volume up and down buttons and follow the on screen instructions when the come up.
Also make sure to back all of your personal data up from the HD2 first as this will wipe it clean.
For a while, the phone also didn’t seem to know where I was. I was and still am in the UK and a few times, it put me in Balkan. That’s great. I’m all for a free holiday but it could have warned me so I could have packed properly!
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This made me laugh hilariously too by the way.
The earlier roms often exhibited some, all or less of these behaviors. If you are still on a 1.4 rom version, get it updated.
T-Macgnolia said:
If you have not tried it yet I would do a hard reset. Power your HD2 on while holding down both the volume up and down buttons and follow the on screen instructions when the come up.
Also make sure to back all of your personal data up from the HD2 first as this will wipe it clean.
This made me laugh hilariously too by the way.
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This is something I could try. I’ll get doing a bit of housekeeping first though. Thanks
samsamuel said:
The earlier roms often exhibited some, all or less of these behaviors. If you are still on a 1.4 rom version, get it updated.
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I’m on the original version that came with the phone. I think that might be 1.43.
When you mentioned a ROM update, I thought
I’m so overwhelmed with the information on this forum. There are so many ROMS it’s hard to know what to pick and I’m seeing far too many posts where people have tried to update and something’s gone wrong.
I just don’t have the level of understanding about phone software to carry this out successfully.
If it were as easy as it is to update my iPod via iTunes, then I’d do it but all this looks way too scary
if you want to keep a stock rom, an update is very easy. and a lot of bugs in the first releases have been fixed.
just go to the website of your carrier and download the rom in the support section. if your phone isn't branded you can download the newest version on the htc website.
if you upgrade your rom you also have to backup all your data, cause it will get lost during the update process.
you can use pim backup for contacts and messages, or just use microsoft myphone.
yea mine was mental on teh original 1.43 too, lots of accidental calls,
to get the update start with htc.com, most of the uk carriers dont bother hosting the updates, htc.com - top right, pick country, then support - select phone - downloads and change teh small dropdown from all to rom upgrade, look for your carrier, , if a rom doesnt accept your serial when you click to download it, it isnt right for your phone, and you maybe have an unbranded, meaning it would take the regular WWE (world wide english) update, in which case try the one that doesnt have a carrier name attached.
once downloaded, read THIS which is linked to from THIS, which is a list of very usefull guides and related posts.
Thank you for all your excellent replies!
I got the latest T-Mobile ROM 3.14.110.1 from HTC website and completed the update following the HSPL installation.
Those links were absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much! I also found it useful watching the Youtube videos that were linked in one of the threads.
I’m currently personalising my phone and I’ve forgotten how to add Bluetooth as a QuickLink. I know it can be done as I saw the solution on here when I first got the phone and did it then so I’m having a look around see if I can find it again.
Oh and what a pleasant surprise being able to watch Youtube on my phone at last! Nice one!
Thank you all ever so much
besca147 said:
I’ve forgotten how to add Bluetooth as a QuickLink. I know it can be done
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id recommend you dive straight in and install cookies home tab(CHT) mod and CHT editor. (Link is in the CHT mod thread).
Not only do they make sense wonderfull, but it has built in quicklink assignable toggles for BT, wifi and such.
samsamuel said:
id recommend you dive straight in and install cookies home tab(CHT) mod and CHT editor. (Link is in the CHT mod thread).
Not only do they make sense wonderfull, but it has built in quicklink assignable toggles for BT, wifi and such.
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This is seriously wonderful! Thanks for the sharing this info and the link.
I've put the stuff on this evening and the add ons to get me the bluetooth toggle.
Hey guys, i got a scareware pop up last night and rebooted my phone.
Then it popped p again so I googled I should disable my ad preferences. but While I was looking through my google stuff I found a ton of these "modules"
I don't remember them being there before. Between the Chimera Virus and the Chimera tool floating around out there, and not being able to find good information on it..., , it makes me pretty paranoid.
I noticed in settings that I have these Chimera Modules in the bottom part of my google services info.
Does anyone know what those are and why they are there?
First of all, this would be better suited for the Q&A forum.
To somewhat answer your question, if I were to take a guess, something you installed, probably in the hopes of gaining root or unlocking your device, was either malware or a scam. There is a site for this tool which looks really shady. I've never heard of it, so I could be completely wrong. If I were you, I would uninstall your most recently installed apps and see if it goes away. Otherwise, I would do a factory reset to protect myself.
Would second the factory reset - if you're rooted I'd also take a scorched earth approach and wipe as much as I can within recovery just to make sure.
I found similar modules on my phone in Google Setting "[internal] section. But from what I can see inside it lists only packages from Google Services and after a bit of searching Google Services contains package with "chimera" in its name namely: "com.google.android.chimera.container.*". Therefore I think it don't have to be connected with any adware/spyware etc. you might have accidentally installed on your phone. Maybe it showed up lately on many phones with some update or it was there already for sometime? Waiting to hear about it from other users.
how can you make your ph delete what is added because ive got stuff on my ph & dont know what all has been added since i bought ph had 1 yr my furst i know nothing about them
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comprohacked said:
I have Chimera Modules "Listeners", "Stagefright" Virus, c.betrad.com, GPS Locations popping up in Las Vegas (The exact same time I'm sitting on my bed in El Cajon, CA) on a LINUX using Chrome 44.something, which is very strange, being as I only have smartphones to use that keep getting hacked and/or being destroyed by being rendered completely useless. There are files I didn't put on my device (s) and I can't access them, I've been completely locked out of email accounts I've had since my children were going into Junior High School. Countlesd, irreplaceable photos, cherished momentz and video are all gone!!! Our Precious Memories that only I took the time to capture, are not expected to ever be seen, again!! I just found out my Router has also been hijacked, I'm learning terminology I was never before interested in learning (and, really...I still am not...I am and app chick...I love trying and using new apps)! My calls, posts, texts,, emails have been intercepted and, responses have been returned as though I were compiling the messages in whatever form, now, none of my old friends will speak to me....so, I have no social life, anymore. I'm constantly being redirected elsewhere on the web, I passed background and DMV checks for both Uber and Lyft, but, I can't drive for them when even their Driver apps are badly compromised, that I cannot even get to the part of the app where I log on, I just keep being redirected!!! Since this all started about a year ago, I may spoken to an actual employee of my Service Provider....MAYbe 4 times...it took me a long while before I realized my outgoing calls were intercepted and I was speaking to an imposter!!! Oh and ALL of the so-called Antivirus apps are completely bogus and easily disarmed (while returning false results that your "device (or, apps or, files or, system, etc) are safe and virus-free"....and you are LOOKING AT THE VIRUS WORK ON THE APP AND YOU SEE ALL THESE REALLY MESSED UP COMMANDS IN THE LOGS AND URL STRING AND, PFOGRAMS, BUT your device is SAFE!!! UNfrkgbeLIEVABLE!!! This stuff is so REAL AND UNFRKGREAL!!! WTH???? You'll never catch these supervillain superbeings with their superintelligence who are on a supermission....I'm one of them. I had a lot of stuff here in this box, but I didn't copy like I usually do and now a huge chunk of it is gone. Nevermind, I'm not in the mood, anymore. Carry on with making me supermiserable in your superdon'tgivdadamn way. I'm just going to go to bed, watch YouTube, if you let me and, chill in a superchill way. Carry on, Carry on. By the way, Kaspersky didn't last e minutes of the first layer of attack by cyberthemfkngangsta...I'm telling you it Kaspersky was disarmed and effectively rendered disabled and wholly ineffective. Better come deep and loaded on brain grains...feeling much more powerful than your websites. Simple as that. Good luck.
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Hi comprohacked .. Its nice to know in not the only one .. I am a network engineer with a bachelors in computer science, so I'm much more familiar with the things I have seen. Fighting it has only proven to render my devices unusable, but it has been extremely educational for me. I can tell you some of the things vie learned so far: first of all they use UPnP and a vulnerability in Adobe to gain access. They even moved my Adobe from the programs list to my windows update list. They are very stealthy as my system event codes show them errorig out hundreds of times until they get a success, then continue, what they were doing was elevating their access beginning with default then user, up to admin, and continue until the have system access .. Basically as far as programs or anything else, its windows itself making requests. Then they use what's called a root kit, they actually flash your bios and create a second bios that can not see or access. They map your I/Os and reserve memory space on your periphials ad flash the ROMs of your video, audio, network card, USB ports and really everything else .. And while they take complete root control and ownership of all the hardware, they use network discovery to find every device, cell phones, playstations, Xbox,notebooks, routers, modems, anything connected and do the same thing to all of these, then set up a raid, meaning fault tolerance, or lets just call it a backup of each system on other systems on the network, that way even if you get passed the b
Mbr rootkit somehow, and somehow able to regain control of your PC or phone and reset it, they just put it back as soon as it boots up again. They basically sandbox you as a child environment, while they have a parent profile that overlays whatever they want you to see. They Grey out buttons for setting that can potential trip them up, proxy your web traffic .. They configure servers for your dns and the list goes on. You see on captures that your dns traffic is going out to your loopback address of 127. The will have small portion of your hard drive where they keep whats called metadata, lets just say they have backups of their backups .. Ive experienced everything you listed and more .. They use legitimate software from windows or google but hide the rest,and since they control the OS they tell the programs whrrr they can and canyon look.
These are nit kids doing it, it is far too advanced fir that, and with the language packages I would say nit just America, but several other countries . They eveN have bk
You described to a t exactly what I have on all of my devices. Can you share about what to do about it?
I'd like to drop some information about what your describing Phil, and some of the people/organisations connected with developing it, and how it has been used in the finance and trading sector. Can you or anyone suggest links to places on the web or ways I could do that? Effectively, so that the information spreads quickly.
Have u found a soultion
My husband and I are currently dealing with the same issue down to a t. Any more info on any of it so far?
Same thing
It started about 2 months ago. First i use comcast internet. Comcast was out front on the pole doing something idk cause i dont have neighbors an my internet was fine. Then a week later a public utilities truck was across the street on a pole that didnt have a transformer on it. They installed a box at the top. Proware technologies. I walked over to them and they hurriedly got down and left. I thought strange. So i went to my desktop and looked at my network and even wierder is i had a some pc connected by ethernet to my comcast modem that was sitting in front of me. I only have 1 computer hooked up by ethernet that i know of and can see only one cable to my pc. So i hurriedly copied all the info from mac address etc of the mysterious connected pc. After about an hour they had chsnged my name of hetwork and had hidden there pc. Theres a lot more that i wont blab on about but i think its the FBI. The box came down last weekend in the middle of the night- but i still cant get any internet company they all tell me they dont service my area when ive had them in the past. Im connected to sum modem i have no idea where cause its not the one i should be connected to. Its crazy. I feel crazy. Drives me crazy! Friends cell phones get all screwed up wen they come over. Its aweful. What can i do?
My wife and I have also had this same NOBUS level hack done to us and after 9 months I realized a few tricks that have shut them down several times but they always seem to figure some new hack to thwart my efforts until I finally took a screwdriver and shorted out my MOBO out of shear frustration. That seemed to work! Lol well now I do everything on my cell that I had to root to eliminate their emulated files and restore a custom ROM. As for the PC that is a harder nut to crack...
Thank God, I thought I was losing my mind,3 laptops, 2 cable companys and 3 different phones, and now these modules, my daughter thinks I'm nuts but I know what I see and I know what I have done, factory resets don't work, I keep changing my password info my wifi info even my numbers, if I'm not using my phone or wifi I keep it disconnected this is crazy, what's the purpose.
OK I've done some extensive research on this google play services chimera. It's not a bug or virus or . It's google play services latest secret weapon to control our devices. It's a container full of different modules. I've blocked some through amplify. They start as an alarm. Then turn to wakelocks. One is a system update server that runs continually while our phones try and sleep. Killing our batteries. I'm running Oreo Android 8.0 and have just recently started seeing this said activity. It's no wonder normal people that don't root their devices have no idea what these are. Being slipped in on updates. They know what we know and it's their efforts to go around that and try different things to regain control of anything computerized. Take for instance. Was talking in conversation the other day. Mentioned New Nike shoes. Low and behold next day it's in my damn Facebook feed. Uninstalled fb, that's just way to much for me. Hope this might help. But definitely not a virus
Oh my god i am so glad i found this i am crying. I literally thought i might be insane. Been dealing with this for over 2 years but has lately gotten worse by a mile. For now I'm just relieved I have company. I do not believe it is Google. There is a "real" Google out there and everytime I interacted with them they were helpful. Currently though I'm connecting to some imposter "Google" in India. I also have comcast but the router in my basement is NOT the one I am connecting to. Everyone thinks i am a lunatic when i tell them any of this. I kept seeing the term Firefly come up and it feels important
Same same
Comprohacked and ppl below. Exact same thing has been happening to me for months. No one will help not even family. No one speaks to me. I knew nothing at all at first. Ive been scammed etc. Phone after phone. About 30 this yr. I dont know if this will work because everytime i type something om a forum it never sends or theres always an issue with it redirecting etc. I dont even log onto google anymore om a new phone but theres still a hidden account connected and **** downloading itself. Photos get deleted. I have a daughter now and ive lost everything. Im embarrassed for her to see how lonely i am when she grows up. Its all government related. I do know that and how corrupt this world is. How google are allowed to do whateber they want. Im on medication now. I dunno if anyone has had any luck on how to claim there lives back but im just about done for good. Just thanks to everyone coz i know im not alone.
What the hell is going on in here? I feel like I'm scrolling through a conspiracy post on reddit or something. I need more info!
HackedInAz said:
My wife and I have also had this same NOBUS level hack done to us and after 9 months I realized a few tricks that have shut them down several times but they always seem to figure some new hack to thwart my efforts until I finally took a screwdriver and shorted out my MOBO out of shear frustration. That seemed to work! Lol well now I do everything on my cell that I had to root to eliminate their emulated files and restore a custom ROM. As for the PC that is a harder nut to crack...
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It's funny you say that. Not considering the other ways described previously in this post, I just knew my modem was the source of my issues, thinking I had eliminated all other possibilities. Ironically a screwdriver through the Ethernet device (not sure of exact terminology here) took a screwdriver through the center of it. Worked well for turning it into trash lol.
Targeted
You people who have been locked out of your own devices and online accounts...google "Targeted Individual."
So I run the S9+ on Xfinity Mobile. When I got the phone I uninstalled just about everything Samsung (per bloatware removal instructions here). Everything is great. With each update some stuff may come back so I uninstall it again.
Android 10 came, and everything works fine except the recents button on my home screen. I usually open recents to either close a program or quickly switch to another program. I also use it to split screen 2 apps at once.
Any ideas what to do?
I guess you uninstalled stock launcher/samsung experience/one ui.That would be why this happens.
ordeniz said:
I guess you uninstalled stock launcher/samsung experience/one ui.That would be why this happens.
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I've always had them uninstalled and it worked before.
yuppicide said:
I've always had them uninstalled and it worked before.
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this is the cringiest thing people say when troubleshooting. Ive been in leadership positions at 2 different companies in the tech support dept and when helping customer service reps, if someone told me that a customer told them exactly what you responded with, i would either just walk away (jokingly, then turn around and explain that it doesnt matter) or (if they were new) id gently tell them that people say this all the time and that it having worked prior is normally irrelevant. Uninstalling those is the same as uninstalling touchwiz on a touchwiz based ROM, youre begging for trouble doing that.
Youdoofus said:
this is the cringiest thing people say when troubleshooting. Ive been in leadership positions at 2 different companies in the tech support dept and when helping customer service reps, if someone told me that a customer told them exactly what you responded with, i would either just walk away (jokingly, then turn around and explain that it doesnt matter) or (if they were new) id gently tell them that people say this all the time and that it having worked prior is normally irrelevant. Uninstalling those is the same as uninstalling touchwiz on a touchwiz based ROM, youre begging for trouble doing that.
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Click to collapse
Cringy - Usually classified by seeing something and feeling extremely embarrassed.
Why would you be embarassed? That's a stupid word to use.
Anyway, I know it can be risky, but I'm not begging for trouble. I've been using this phone since 2018 without 99% of the Samsung stuff using this thread:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...-bloatware-youd-recommend-to-rid-off-t3759500
Anyway, I'ma get ready to factory reset the phone, run update, then remove everything and be back to normal.
Definitely not irrelevant. That's like saying "Gestures used to work, but now they don't".
Anyway, I did a factory reset, update, proceeded to uninstall everything again.. all good. Just takes a few hours.. to set every setting back up again, etc.
yuppicide said:
Anyway, I did a factory reset, update, proceeded to uninstall everything again.. all good. Just takes a few hours.. to set every setting back up again, etc.
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Did you uninstall stock launcher/samsung experience/one ui again?
yuppicide said:
Cringy - Usually classified by seeing something and feeling extremely embarrassed.
Why would you be embarassed? That's a stupid word to use.
Anyway, I know it can be risky, but I'm not begging for trouble. I've been using this phone since 2018 without 99% of the Samsung stuff using this thread:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...-bloatware-youd-recommend-to-rid-off-t3759500
Anyway, I'ma get ready to factory reset the phone, run update, then remove everything and be back to normal.
Definitely not irrelevant. That's like saying "Gestures used to work, but now they don't".
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its far from a stupid word to use, and youre reply now falls into that same category. Go to urban dictionary and read their definition of cringey. And read past the first sentence where examples are given. it goes a little something like this "Cringy Someone or something that makes you embarrassed to be a part of the human race. Usually classified by seeing something and feeling extremely embarrassed, throwing your head back and closing your eyes to block your view of the cringy media, and biting your lip to keep in your scream of utter disgust. In some cases, a person viewing cringy media may also feel an almost unbearable feeling of wanting to (insert horrible act here). The first example shows usage of the word that defies the first definition. When attempting to help someone with anything really and the person youre helping says "well ive always done it this way and its never been a problem before", i guarantee you that 99% of the helpers in those situations have either facepalmed or very much wanted to. Cringey, plain and simple. Something or someone that usually makes one cringe.
My wife bought an S7+ from Amazon and it's been fine for a couple of months. She had a popup today which warned that the device would be locked because it was part of a trade in scheme and there was some sort of problem. I assumed some sort of malware but I was working so I didn't do much with it but now the device appears to have locked into a sort of "kiosk mode" where we just get 2 screens:
https://imgur.com/a/Z4N9TLy
All the blurb is plastered with "Samsung Electronics UK" but the domain the email is going to is "tradeinresponse.co.uk" which after some Googling seems to have been linked with some scam stuff in the past.
I've tried safe mode with the same locked screen, plugging the tablet into a PC results in it locking to the first screen.
I can get into recovery and I wanted to try a wipe, but the wife has some drawings on there she's done in Sketchbook that she would like to keep.
I'm a software developer by profession but I work with Windows/.NET and SaaS stuff so I've not got much experience with droid devices (a bit of java here and there in the past, but not so much XP with the OS itself)
So my questions are:
Does anyone know if this is any sort of official thing or is this malware/scam stuff as I suspect?
Is a factory reset likely to resolve the issue?
If I want to factory reset, can I pull files off the devices internal SD via ADB or some other tool before I do it?
Do I have any other options?
Kind of a wind up - I'd just have factory reset it by now to find out but like I said, I don't want to lose any of the wife's data if possible. If she gets anything back I'm going to make sure she sticks it in the cloud.
Any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance!
Always backup critical data redundantly to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC.
Or you will lose data eventually.
Factory reset but you will lose all data. If the drive is encrypted, you likely already have.
Sounds like ransomware. Contact Samsung and do some Google searches. See what you got and if there are any work arounds.
You may need to reload the OS completely if it's a rootkit and running on Android 8 or below.
This could be a nasty little bugger...
If it wasn't present on the device when purchased, your wife either downloaded or installed it. She needs to be more careful!!!
Maybe this will impress that onto her...
Thanks for the advice but I've already googled as much as I can. The domain doesn't go anywhere except a holding page though through reverse lookup it seems there are also other domains on the same host including some legitimate businesses that appear to do Samsung second life schemes for devices.
I've googled the actual lock message but no-one on the net seems to have seen it before.
The wife hasn't installed anything, she got the device a few weeks ago (from Amazon, supposedly new) and did a transfer from her old s6 (that has gone to my daughter) to the s7 using Smart Switch. Since then she's not installed any other applications.
It's not "critical data", per se, it's just drawings she'd like to keep, plus copying stuff onto physically disparate hard drives seems a bit overkill given she can just drop the files into a cloud storage account and have way more redundancy than you/I could ever reproduce by doing manual backups.
I'm posting in an s7 forum about an s7 so it's going to be running Android 10 at the minimum (given that's what the device ships with). Not sure why the comments about Android 8.
Anything she could have installed would have been from the Play store (and I don't believe she installed anything other than what automatically installed from what was on her old s6), plus her apps are from a reputable vendors (Autodesk etc). My son has a tablet and he installs all sorts of crap and hasn't had this issue because the OS prevents stuff like this from happening unless you allow side loading.
Is it possible to install a rootkit from the play store? I didn't think so ..?
So, either it was on there when we got it, it's legit or it's a vulnerability that exists in the OS and we are some of the first people to see it...
You can do what you want but any backup database that requires a password can be lost.
I have close to a dozen backup hdds, there's no way to I can lose my entire database.
At least use 2 OTG flashsticks to completely backup the data but hdds are still preferable.
NEVER encrypt data drives... and verify the backups are complete and readable.
As to how it happened you're going to have to sort that out or suffer the same fate possibly again in the future.
A factory reset seems inevitable at this point.
Afterwards change all passwords.
Malware has always existed on Playstore albeit not much or for long. She may have imported from your daughter's phone.
You got some potentially gigantic problems now.
Personally I would have already gone full nuke by now. It's simply not worth the risks.
In the future hawk the download folder daily for files you didn't authorize. Delete any unknowns without opening. Scrutinize all downloads and installs carefully, always. Scan as needed with Malwarebytes. Online Virustotal can be used to scan smaller files and apks.
There are also maliciously scripted jpegs too that can cause damage to any files in the same folder when opened. Be aware of any changes or strange behavior in the download folder. Vet all downloads before moving into your database.
Use a good brower like Brave and be careful what links you click, in the browser, emails and texts.
I can't even begin to estimate how many websites I backed out of, closed that tab or wiped the browser data over in the last year alone. Better safe than sorry. Zero malware infections in over 1.5 years and that's running on outdated Pie.
Almost all malware, rootkits etc are loaded by the user. Some will self install if the device's security isn't configured correctly or if not spotted on a timely basis. Androids, even ones with out of date OSs are generally very secure unless the user does something stupid... learn or get burned.
blackhawk said:
You can do what you want but any backup database that requires a password can be lost.
I have close to a dozen backup hdds, there's no way to I can lose my entire database.
At least use 2 OTG flashsticks to completely backup the data but hdds are still preferable.
NEVER encrypt data drives... and verify the backups are complete and readable.
As to how it happened you're going to have to sort that out or suffer the same fate possibly again in the future.
A factory reset seems inevitable at this point.
Afterwards change all passwords.
Malware has always existed on Playstore albeit not much or for long. She may have imported from your daughter's phone.
You got some potentially gigantic problems now.
Personally I would have already gone full nuke by now. It's simply not worth the risks.
In the future hawk the download folder daily for files you didn't authorize. Delete any unknowns without opening. Scrutinize all downloads and installs carefully, always. Scan as needed with Malwarebytes. Online Virustotal can be used to scan smaller files and apks.
There are also maliciously scripted jpegs too that can cause damage to any files in the same folder when opened. Be aware of any changes or strange behavior in the download folder. Vet all downloads before moving into your database.
Use a good brower like Brave and be careful what links you click, in the browser, emails and texts.
I can't even begin to estimate how many websites I backed out of, closed that tab or wiped the browser data over in the last year alone. Better safe than sorry. Zero malware infections in over 1.5 years and that's running on outdated Pie.
Almost all malware, rootkits etc are loaded by the user. Some will self install if the device's security isn't configured correctly or if not spotted on a timely basis. Androids, even ones with out of date OSs are generally very secure unless the user does something stupid... learn or get burned.
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Click to collapse
With all due respect we aren't getting anywhere here, I don't want backup advice or malware advice, I want to know the answers to the few small questions I asked about whether this is legit and if I can access the device files or not.
You seem to be convinced it's malware, you also seem to be skim reading my posts which is fine - but I don't think your input is helping me.
I'm not going to use a different "paranoid" browser - chrome is fine, the tablet doesn't have a "security configuration" that is any different from the hundreds of thousands of other S7+ devices out there since it's a tablet and out the box it's ready to go. I'm not checking the downloads folder daily just in case some random malware has somehow "installed itself" onto my device, I'm also not keeping random flash sticks and hard drives lying about - I'll just use that geo redundant pretty solid cloud storage like most of the populace.
Yes you can put malicious content in a JPEG or a JPEG header, but it requires that there's an exploit in the OS or the app opening it (for example hiding a javascript eval in the file metadata); I don't think that's an attack vector on a tablet as far as I know given that she only browses, watches Netflix and draws using her S-pen on the device.
She's not imported "malware" from someone else's phone because if you read my post properly you'd understand that it was HER device that she transferred her data from - one that she's since given to the daughter (who has no issues). If you know how Smart Switch works you'd know that it's an unlikely vector (it just transfers data from application storage and then reinstalls the apps from the play store), plus the fact the original device doesn't have the issue...
Stop telling me to "learn or get burned". This is not a "misuse" problem. The wife is on Android 10, it's a relatively new and secure O/S and she didn't install anything she shouldn't have (she didn't actually install anything at all - it was the stock samsung application and the play store that installed the apps she ALREADY HAD on her previous device). It's not a "learn" scenario. Nothing she did should have caused this - if it is/was an OS exploit or some sort of security issue what could she have done to prevent it? Nothing.
What I have done is:
* Contacted the vendor of the device (we can still send it back if they've sent us a refurbed device instead of new as advertised)
* Sent an email to the address advertised to see what response I get (if they demand money then clearly a scam)
I've checked and the domain in the above shares a host with a company called MTR which happens to be a DCC Group company (one of the groups of companies I actually consult for) so worst case I'll speak to someone from DCC Group and see if they can shed any light.
Seems like it might be legit and quite possibly a mix up.
Do what you will... if you understand the origin of that phrase.
Anything that can't be IDed is considered malware until proven innocent
The fact that you're now completely locked out speaks volumes.
Good practices and backup are your only defenses. They apply to the future not the past... so much for flavors
Personally I think it's already too late for that device's OS load and data.
Of course I could be mistaken.
If you really want the data, take it to a data recovery specialist. They may be able to recover it.
When your at the beginning you can determine how potential data lose will end. When at the end, the outcome has already been predetermined by your actions or lack of.
You are now at the end... likely a dead end.
Been there, done that... actions have consequences.
@Charleh: if I were you, I would back up all important data and do a clean firmware flash with Odin. And a factory reset on top of that, just to be sure. Definitely sounds like you got hit by a scammer.
AnonVendetta said:
@Charleh: if I were you, I would back up all important data and do a clean firmware flash with Odin. And a factory reset on top of that, just to be sure. Definitely sounds like you got hit by a scammer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I said there's not really any important data on there, just some drawings the wife would like to keep. Also, I can't backup anything since I can't access the device.
I'll probably just speak to DCC group and see if this company is one of theirs.
If the data is lost we are just talking some drawings the wife has done, there's nothing important on there, she just loses the layers (they are stored as multi page tiffs and sketchbook uses those as layers). She has all the images as flat renders on her cloud storage drive and on Instagram.
Think we just need to invest in some extra cloud storage as the free 15gb that Google give you isn't enough to store what she wants at the moment as the images are tens of megabytes each.
Worst case scenario I factory reset and flash it, best case I get someone at DCC telling me what's what.
The bit that gets me is that there are no ransom demands at this point so I can't be sure what's what. Usually by now with crypto ransom malware you are already being given demands...
We will see.
blackhawk said:
Do what you will... if you understand the origin of that phrase.
Anything that can't be IDed is considered malware until proven innocent
The fact that you're now completely locked out speaks volumes.
Good practices and backup are your only defenses. They apply to the future not the past... so much for flavors
Personally I think it's already too late for that device's OS load and data.
Of course I could be mistaken.
If you really want the data, take it to a data recovery specialist. They may be able to recover it.
When your at the beginning you can determine how potential data lose will end. When at the end, the outcome has already been predetermined by your actions or lack of.
You are now at the end... likely a dead end.
Been there, done that... actions have consequences.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not a big deal mate.
Stop flogging a dead horse, the most annoying thing is just that the device is unusable, regardless of me making backups or signing a pact with the devil or putting candlewax on my nips, it wouldn't have prevented this from happening..
The only reason I haven't tried a factory reset up to now is because if there's a chance I can get the drawings off the device I'd like to try it first before I nuke it.
Stop talking about my lack of actions, it's getting really boring. There's nothing I could do to forsee this happening and not my fault the wife didn't put the drawings on her cloud storage.
Go bother someone else with your multiple flash disk tinfoil hat backup routines (I bet you've got a tape drive in that routine somewhere too), stop trying to be helpful by saying "told you so" after the fact, instead try answering the questions I asked.
@Charleh: The way I see it is this:
The device's data partition/internal storage (where the drawings are stored) are encrypted by default, by Samsung. So, unless you can manage to use a MTP USB connection or ADB to make copies of them, then you're locked out and there's nothing you can do to recover them. Since they're located in an encrypted area, I highly doubt that even a professional data recovery business would be able to get them back. There are certain encryptions out there that even the US govt (NSA/CIA/FBI) can't break.
I'm assuming that you're not a l33t hax0r with uber skills, so unless you can successfully boot into Android again, your recovery chances are almost zero.
Or, maybe this company can help you out. It's worth a shot. But if I were a gambling man, I'd wager a lot of money that you will end up having to clean flash/reset, without being able to recover anything.
In the future, think about making copies of this stuff before bad things occur. As the saying goes, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, sooner or later. I rarely lose access to my data because I'm frequently backing it up.
Good luck!
AnonVendetta said:
@Charleh: The way I see it is this:
The device's data partition/internal storage (where the drawings are stored) are encrypted by default, by Samsung. So, unless you can manage to use a MTP USB connection or ADB to make copies of them, then you're locked out and there's nothing you can do to recover them. Since they're located in an encrypted area, I highly doubt that even a professional data recovery business would be able to get them back. There are certain encryptions out there that even the US govt (NSA/CIA/FBI) can't break.
I'm assuming that you're not a l33t hax0r with uber skills, so unless you can successfully boot into Android again, your recovery chances are almost zero.
Or, maybe this company can help you out. It's worth a shot. But if I were a gambling man, I'd wager a lot of money that you will end up having to clean flash/reset, without being able to recover anything.
In the future, think about making copies of this stuff before bad things occur. As the saying goes, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, sooner or later. I rarely lose access to my data because I'm frequently backing it up.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks - that was a helpful answer. I suspected that droid encrypted the data - I was looking at making an ADB connection using Android tools. Might as well give it a try before I nuke.
I can't use MTP as the device auto locks when I plug in a USB cable.
Like I've said a few times it's not a massive issue if I lose the data - I work in IT, I know the importance of backing up important data. I've seen a client lose months worth of data to crypto-ransomware (they cancelled their backup solution a few months before saying they were moving to Azure soon so they didn't need it).
I've explained though, it's not my device and it's up to the wife to put her stuff on her cloud storage if she wants to keep it. She uses Google Drive for her docs etc.
Worst case scenario I complain to Amazon, wife is saying she doesn't remember the screen having a protector/film on it when she opened it and we still have time to return/exchange it since I have a Prime account.
@Charleh: AFAIK, Amazon has a 30 day no questions asked return policy for almost everything. If you're still within that return window, then I guess you just have to decide whether the loss of drawings is worth returning it, assuming all recovery efforts fail. I bought my Tab S7+ new direct from Samsung, I haven't encountered like what you describe. And your edge case is the first one I've seen.
I think it's possible that you bought a refurbished device that was preowned but sold as new. The original buyer didn't finish paying it off, returned it, it's sold to you, you get this message. It's either legitimately locked, or someone has remotely locked it and intends to scam you. Contact that company ASAP.
Another option is to find a local techie/shop that can remove this lock for a fee, preferably without data loss. They make want to see proof of purchase, if they're legit. This would at least give you the ability to use the device again. People used to bring me locked phones/tabs all the time, this is pretty much what I did for side cash. As long as they didn't outright admit they were stolen, I didn't care.
Ok speaking to Samsung support and it's legit - what's happened is that someone's returned the device to the supplier after doing a trade in with it and receiving a new device from Samsung Trade In.
Supplier has refunded us and told us to keep the device until the issue is resolved with Samsung.
Now fighting with Samsung themselves about it. Absolute pisstake.
Basically I have a brick and although Samsung have the capability to unlock the device through Knox they won't do it until a resolution is found with the supplier.
Fun-times. Sent a complaint email to Samsung as they are essentially holding the wife's artwork to ransom because of an issue they have created with the rules of their trade-in program.
I've already received the refund too - sounds like the Amazon reseller is trying to wash their hands of it.
@Charleh: So, they refunded you AND they're going to let you keep the tablet? I'd be quite happy with that.
AnonVendetta said:
@Charleh: So, they refunded you AND they're going to let you keep the tablet? I'd be quite happy with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends if the tablet is ever going to be functional again...
Fingers crossed!
Time to reflash, ODIN or do whatever and see if you can and up with his + hers new(sort of) tablets.
Hello, some solution?
Charleh said:
Depends if the tablet is ever going to be functional again...
Fingers crossed!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did this end?
corb06 said:
How did this end?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
still ongoing - Amazon is trying to get hold of the original supplier but they've gone dark; I complained to Samsung and they are looking into it, just waiting for a reply.
They took almost a month to get back to me - only did so when I started complaining publicly on all social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram etc) - they don't like it when you do that.
Will update when I know more.
Charleh said:
still ongoing - Amazon is trying to get hold of the original supplier but they've gone dark; I complained to Samsung and they are looking into it, just waiting for a reply.
They took almost a month to get back to me - only did so when I started complaining publicly on all social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram etc) - they don't like it when you do that.
Will update when I know more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to hear it's taking so long. I'd be super pissed. Next time, buy direct from Samsung, you wouldnt have to deal with this ****. Because they wouldnt sell you a used/refurbished device unless it's clearly marked as such, and i'm pretty sure they only sell new devices anyway.
Can you post a link to the seller's Amazon page? They could be a fly-by-night op.
If you cant get your money back or an exchange, just contact your bank/card issuer and do a chargeback. This is a last resort ootion, if nothing else works. Explain the whole situation to them. Chances are, they would force the seller or someone else responsible, to give your money back. The only caveat is that if you wait too long, it might not work. i've inititated chargebacks against sellers who dont respond to support requests, it usually worked in my favor.
Edit: If you go the chargeback route and Amazon is forced to refund your money, they may retaliate by banning your account. it recently happened to a friend. Just so you know.....
I have a A52 5g and a tab S7+ wifi, that are both remotely controled and monitored, and serve as gateway to my home network and basicaly every device connected to it. I noticed it at first and mew NOTHING related to this, didnt even know what open source was. Since then i have come to understand that, somehow, my phone seems to run a custom version of android, my guess is, built from AOSP and designed to disguise itself as oem samsung ui, but in background enables remote access and total takeover of every function. I have discovered, using total commander, that storage has been partitioned in 2 separate locations, and that one folder in there is called root system file, and filled with data/apk/installkits/etc.. this has me asking for help in 2 specific questions:
Am i holding a rooted device or is there another possibility that creates this situation? I was convinced its rooted untill i read here that root prevents from using samsung pass, secure folder etc.. and those seem to work on mine(or is it a version of those apps?) If its indeed rooted, will it wype everything if i flash it with the stock rom? And should i trust a small cell repair store to do that or learn how to do it myself?
2: i have bought 3 brand new phones since august, and made sure not to use my usual accounts, no use backups, not even set it up near my home wifi, and it almost instantly started self installing harmful software in background. I see no other way for it to link itself to be owned by me at initial setup, but for the sim card, new of course, but with my usual phone number and service transfered to it. Is that enough to make a breach and compromise a new device? If so, what would be different after fpashing the stock rom, if everything reinstalls itself? Do i need to change my number? Change cellular service provider even? I know its an unusual request but im a fast learner, i have compiled lots of technical info on specific apps, ip's, servers, build id numbers etc.. that i know would make more sense to anyone more qualified than me, and i am about ready to try and wype/flash the thing myself, i just would feel better with a little help since i have gone this far pretty much alone, since no service provider or manifacturer actualy feels like this is their problem to solve....
Here you can download firmware for your phone and flash with Odin, which you can also download at the bottom of the page, there are instructions on how to do it also.
Make sure to download correct firmware for exact device you have. There are few different A52 5G models.. SM-A526B, SM-A526U, SM-A5260, SM-A526U1, SM-A526W.
You will lose all data after flashing new firmware. After this your phone will be like brand new from Samsung..
If your device is rooted then that means your warranty is void and manufacturers and carriers are under no obligation to help you.
I'm trying to understand your situation but its so conflicting I don't know where to begin.
For example, you say your device runs a custom AOSP with a Samsung UI. Thats exactly how it actually works. Samsung take the AOSP, customise it with their own functionality, then overlay their own skin as the UI. Theres absolutely nothing unusual about that.
I'm conflicted as to whether your rooted or not. If the manufacturer or carrier has physically seen the device and won't repair it then that would suggest your definitely rooted. If you spoke to them virtually and told them your rooted then they will use it as an excuse whether you're truly rooted or not. The partitions you mention could be the internal storage and an sd card which can be seen non-rooted. I dont know what you mean when you mention a "root system file". Is it an actual folder called "root" or is the app you're using just telling you that you've reached the "root" of the filesystem? I can't quite work out what you mean. You also say Knox-powered apps still work which just adds to the confusion.
You stated you have had 3 new devices and they all self-installed harmful software. To get one device compromised is possible. To get three compromised means your either a high profile government target (which I doubt because they wouldn't be so sloppy as this) or your doing something to compromise your own devices such as continuously visiting dodgy websites.
Flashing will fix things but so would having a new device. The only common denominator is you so either you're doing something wrong or you truly are a government target in which case I wish you good luck!
First let me appologise for the long silence, i cut off most online activity for a while and just read your answers. To clarify, i have not solved my prolem yet. But ill try to explain better what you ask about my situation:
About de os version arobase40 got it right. I Asked google play help reps. And a stock samsung version of android would not trigger googles warning about running a custom version of android. So that point to a modified after-the-fact more than to the fact samsung has their propierary version installed.
About beeing rooted or not, ylwhat you are asking is what im not totaly certajn of, also. I know partition can happen without rooting, its seems to have created a "virtual sd card" since its named as such when sd card slot is actualy empty. About the root files folder, i cant say for sure, all i can say is that its holding a large amount of Gigs that dont get taken into account when looking at storage capacity and usage, and accessing that folder gives me a message that root files cant be access from this device. Does it mean my device had root acess privileges revoked to prevent viewing files that hide what is given control of the software remotely, so i dont find out or have the capacity to remove or alter those files?
What is absolutely sure is that if it is rooted, it wasnt done by me. As for the chance the devices were not factory brand new, 1 of them was not, got it opend box from amazon, a saudi arabia version, but my prkblems had started months before getting it, did not keep it more than 2 months, and all others before and since are 100% pure factory new, some directly from my cellular service provider, as financed device came with 2 year agreement of service,(actualy 2 of them i got this way) and the last one is my tab s7+ i got online directly from samsung canada website, on preorder, delivered on release day.
And lastly the fact i cant seem to shake those persistent leeches, is not from having reckless habbits online, but from having careless and uneducated habbits before that all started, usual older lazy dude stuff, like not changing my wifi password after a ruff breakup with bipolar psycho ex gf, or having only a few passwords reused on most my accounts. I have stopped doing those things long ago now that i know better, but i suspect that i could have been unaware something gettnng installed and staying dormant for a while, maybe? The ex had way more opportunities than needed to do something like this and is more than psycho enough to realy do it also. For having the skills to do it, lets say she has "assets" that can easily get her guys willing to help about that. It may also be coming from somwhere else, but as you say im not a super spy or a high ranking gov. Official. Im not even that interesting, and have absolutely no usable id for fraud or anything, my credit history would raise more red flags then there is in all china. So after so long struggling with this still very active, i cant even think of a rational reason to do so much effort into this, theres nothing to gain, i only can imagine that maybe a twisted mind seeking revege, or with a sick way of amusing themselves could see the point to all that, but i dont realy care. I only want to get rid of it.
As for the way it manages to be so much persistent, i can only see one option left i didnt remove from the process, and its through my phone number/account on the sim card, even a new sim on a new phone, still is linked to my cell service. I did initial setup with only that new sim card, accounts freshely created during setup, with no info or anythink linkable to my previous accounts, and even did it sitting outside, far from any building that could get me in range of a wifi network. And it still was no more effective at staying secure.
Thats why i did not yet try to flash a stock rom myself on my device, because it would, at best, become exactly like it was when brand new, and i know that this is not enough to keep it secure, and that means theres still something im missing in the whole picture.