topic Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates? in XZ Series

Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Tuerkay — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:13:48 GMT

Hello everybody,

a while ago i´ve send in my xzp to sony because of some heat-related problems (laggy interface/ nonresponding touchscreen) and other issues.

Even after sending in the device with a note, that most of the issues appear, when the device is warm/hot (after Streaming or gaming), they did a simply ignored that and made a check under stock conditions and couldn´t find anything.

So they just made a software update to 47.1.A.12.205, another factory reset and returned the devoce to me.

Since then, i´m having massive problems with those "Congratiulation, you´ve won ****" pop-ups when i´m using any browser app. Somehow mostly news and tech-news sites are affected. Just a few seconds after the page is loaded, i get redirected to those spam sites.

- started the browsers with cleared cache and data -> didn´t help

- started device in safe mode-> didn´t help

- made a factory reset/ Software repair.-> didn´t help

- started the browsers with cleared cache and data again-> didn´t help

- started device in safe mode again-> didn´t help

- made an update to 47.1.A.12.235.-> didn´t help

- started the browsers with cleared cache and data again-> didn´t help

- started device in safe mode again -> didn´t help

this is making me crazy.

i´ve started to believe, that the xperia firmware itself is infected.

is there anything i can do the get rid of those messages?

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Uliwooly — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:38:35 GMT

@Tuerkay

could you post screenshots of the pop-ups ?

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Tuerkay — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 16:33:01 GMT

mostly sites like this appear and can´t be closed with the back button.

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

NunoSEN2 — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 16:41:36 GMT

Hi @Tuerkay;

Can't the problem be in the sites themselves and not in the Xperia firmware?

I mean, if you don't visit those sites, or after visit them and clear the browser app data and cache, does the spam apear?

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Inerent — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 16:46:22 GMT

It seems that your router is hacked.

Factory reset =0 those nasty viruses are in your cache. Try flashing with Munjeni's newflasher and also hard reset your router. Do both then plug the internet cable in your router and test again...

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Tuerkay — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 16:48:39 GMT

i´m using the google news app for current news and most of the tech sites suggested by the google news app have this problem.

these are pages that did not cause any problems before the "repair".

I also don´t have these issues, when i´m using another phone with the same browser on the same pages. My old Honor 7 with chrome for example. not a single pop up...

i also don´t think that my router is a problem since my xzp is the only device in this network with this kind of problems. It´s an Fritzbox 7590 and i have just resettet it and flashed the newest firmware

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Inerent — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 16:50:53 GMT

If other phone is ok on the same wifi, try flashing with Munjeni's newflasher. That way you are sure that your cache partition gets deleted and repartitioned

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Uliwooly — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 17:25:36 GMT

@Tuerkay

Can you do the same but this time in safe mode, yes I know that you've done that before, but I see the temperature icon on the top left side, also make sure to sign out of chrome and if you do restore/reflash the phone do NOT update nor restore any app or any info/data at all, see if you experience the same w/o doing any of that.

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Giulianolorenzon — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 18:52:14 GMT

I am in the same situation. Tries also to change the dpi of the display. At the beginning it seems to be work fine and no problems anymore. What i noticed ia if you the the gyroscope you will have a lot of lags, the movements of the gyroscope test are not fluid. I have the device since march but wanna try to bring the in Assistance. Also today used google maps within my car but after 5 min during driving the app crashes. Totally useless a smartphone like this.

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Inerent — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:27:20 GMT

Hello good peoples.

Android Oreo has many partitions which can be altered. Also data and cache partition don't get repartitioned in case of repair with sony companion. The only sollution from my Point of view is to flash the proper firmware with Munjeni's Newflasher. Check a post on xda from where to download the firmware and how to reflash.

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Giulianolorenzon — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 17:55:29 GMT

Ok refresh a complete new system with only the last oreo update can be the solution. But how is it with the guarantee? I have ask sony if they can install the last nougat version, but nothing they cant.

Re: Malware infected Xperia Updates?

Tuerkay — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 17:31:08 GMT

@Inerent thank you for that tip. So i have resetted my phone again but this time with Newflasher. Including cache and data partition. Haven´t had any annoying redirections since then. hope it stays this way. thanks