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Malware on My Android Phone

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Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#141

Post by riphdd2020 »

tusharpandey13 wrote: post #105
simonmales wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe 'Barcode Scanner' was potentially one of the first barcode scanners on Android. Been using it since Android 1.x on the ADP1. Don't forget it is on the Google Play store too. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi... There was a time when QR Code scanning was better in Android than iOS (native in iOS 11.x). The "Google" way of scanning QR Codes is Google Lens, but it doesn't work offlin…

Beware, the play store version shows full screen ads, auto redirects and needs contacts permissions.

Is there any proof for this, apart from those bad reviews? The blog mentions another (now removed app) with the package name com.qrcodescanner.barcodescanner, not the open source one at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi...

I believe these bad reviews might be a result of the malware app pushing bad reviews to the zxing app page on google play, using an in app 'rate this app?' -> low rating -> send to the zxing app in Google Play (instead of the malware app in google play).

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#142

Post by asddubs »

Coincidentally, I was trying to download a qr code scanner app on my new phone the other day, and looking at the listing, trying to discern which ones were going to be overly greedy with permissions and ad spam lead me to immediately installing f-droid again. originally i hadn't planned to bother with it, but man the google play store is in really bad shape. and advertised apps are just a stupid concept that needs to die.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#143

Post by goldcd »

pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

It is on my pixel (so worth a try on whatever's shipping with Android One).

I thought it was a bit 'hit or miss' at first - if you hold the camera over the code, after a bit it decides to pop up a link over the QR in preview. Then realized if you tap on the code, it instantly displays the link. Just had a fun few minutes on https://www.google.com/search?q=qr+codes&tbm=isch - as the tap allows it to handle multiple ones within the same frame.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#144

Post by thatguy0900 »

prof18 wrote: post #13
pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

QR Reader are load of everything. I went mad to find one a decent one for my parents’ android phone and apparently it doesn’t exists. So in a weekend I’ve created one without any kind of tracking, ads, permission, whatever. Here it is if you guys need one -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prof18.sec...

Google makes one themselves, Google lens. It's quite a bit more than just a qr code reader, though, kind of a generic computer vision app https://lens.google.com/

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#145

Post by riphdd2020 »

tallanvor wrote: post #114
riphdd2020 wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had this app too, and I remember thinking it was weird because I think an official google developer blog (or something like that) mentioned the need to install it, as there was no built in QR code reader at the time. I can't remember which old phone I had it on though. I also think those reviews might be left by people who can't find the original offending app because it's been removed. https://www.apkshub.com/app/…

The one you're looking at on apkshub is definitely a different app. The version number, last update, and permissions do not match what is in Play.

The one on apkshub is the one mentioned in the blog. Google has removed it from google play. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi... is a completely different, open source app, with unexplained bad reviews, probably nothing to do with the malware, and hasn't been removed by google.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#146

Post by thatguy0900 »

kwdc wrote: post #2

"Google Play Protect was also completely unhelpful, which was a big disappointment. First because Google certainly knows which applications they removed from their store for malware reasons, but even so, I would expect Google Play Protect to at least flag any app it finds on my phone that is not on their store. Such an app is not necessarily malware, but it should certainly be flagged. Google Play Protect could also…

" I would expect Google Play Protect to at least flag any app it finds on my phone that is not on their store. Such an app is not necessarily malware, but it should certainly be flagged." seems like Google is between a rock and a hard place here, they already catch so much heat over their treatment of third party app stores there would certainly be a lot of outrage over this if they started doing it

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#147

Post by dlazar »

prof18 wrote: post #13
pw6hv wrote: post #3

A QR code reader was the problem then... I am an Android user since the dawn of time and I was so surprised when my wife showed me that on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used (now I am on Android One). This plus the native support for CardDav and CalDav are pushing me to try iOS next time I have to change my phone.

QR Reader are load of everything. I went mad to find one a decent one for my parents’ android phone and apparently it doesn’t exists. So in a weekend I’ve created one without any kind of tracking, ads, permission, whatever. Here it is if you guys need one -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prof18.sec...

I've been very happy with Binary Eye: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.markusfisch.android.binar...

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#148

Post by HenryBemis »

vSanjo wrote: post #61
HenryBemis wrote: post #25

I've switched to Android (Huawei) 2-3 years ago (after the Apple battery fiasco). I keep installed (and updated) the NoRoot Firewall app, which by default blocks all access. I also added to my mix the Nova Launcher. It makes it easier to tap&hold an app icon, gives you a quick shortcut straight to the specific app's Settings --> Apps --> specific app's properties, in which I (usually) block access to data/wifi/roamin…

I'm not trying to be facetious or rude, but that seems like a massive decision against something that was largely fixed? I can understand if you had software-problems with iOS but I didn't see that in your comment. Managing those kinds of blocker apps, and security and such are all great when you're 'in the zone' and have it fresh at the forefront of your thoughts. For me, it only takes a week or so of not thinking a…

> you had software-problems with iOS

I didn't have any probs with sofrware while using iPhones. I was jailbreaking them, installing a similar firewall and had my mind at ease. I would go to Apple in a heartbeat if they stopped lying and allowed rooted/jailbroken phones.

It is nice to see that on a comment 95% on Android people still downvote me for (justifiably) trashing Apple. They got caught cheating. Then they got caught lying. Then they were found guilty. Apple fanboys are having a party downvoting. Fun fact: "HN karma" is virtual, while the $1k that they pay Apple every year is a REAL number. Keep rocking folks. I guess when someone spits on your coffee you downvote the commenter and keep going back to the same coffee place, right? (https://bgr.com/2020/07/13/iphone-batterygate-lawsuit-settle...)

> and I have Just Another Application™ running

this is absolutely normal/logical. A friend suggested the 7min workout by Johnson & Johnson. Nice app, free, has these simple 7mins workouts, also has warm-up/cool-down if you want the extra 7-8mins.. very nice. Loving it.

It doesn't need internet connection to fully operate (workouts). I don't need it to "back up my progress in their cloud". So it stays offline (forever). It takes 1min when I install that new/extra app to bolt it down and have it behave just as I want (and does not disrupt me with notifications or leak data or kill my battery).

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#149

Post by cam_l »

Daho0n wrote: post #133
cam_l wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After going through dozens of QR code scanners trying to find one that is open source and trustworthy enough looking to install, i realised there is just one right there in Firefox.

And in the default camera app.

Sure, but only if you also have the Google app and Google lens.

Re: Malware on My Android Phone

#150

Post by bzb6 »

Daho0n wrote: post #138
bzb6 wrote: post #111

It’s a joke that this happened. And even worse that he considered installing “malwarebytes”, one of those things that smell of windows 98 shareware, to fix it. This is why I buy iPhone.

If you install an app on iPhone that is allowed to make pop-ups and it shows ads in those pop-ups you get the same situation as here. This wasn't malware as it couldn't access anything except itself.

The article says the app kept opening new browser tabs on chrome while the app itself was not on the foreground. That’s impossible on iPhones
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