topic Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant? in Z Series

Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 19:20:17 GMT

Hi,

after upgrading to lollipop 5.1.1 my Xperia Z3 comapct shows something like an assistant when I start the messaging app, that I have never seen in the versions before.

Background: because of the stagefright bug i am very cautious when it comes to read/open SMS/MMS. So I was taken by surprise when I received an SMS/MMS last weekend and could not read/open it because when I start the messaging app im redirected to some kind of assistent (in fullscreen). I have never observed this behaviour of the messaging app before. So I was unsure what to do and did not push the "first steps" button. Instead I called my provider and Sony support and they all suspected that what I see is not a Sony assistent but some kind of malware that had infected my phone. Sony hotliners recommended a backup of my personal data and afterwards a reset to factory settings. But that had no effect. After reset the messaging app shows the same "assistant" after start. So additionally I used Sony PC Companion software (module "Support Zone") to repair my phone. It took about an hour but the result is the same. Still that assistant pops up after starting messaging app. I have no chance to see the list of received messages or get into the settings of the messaging app, the only thing I can do is push the "first steps" button of that "assistant".

So either there is an assistant within the messaging app of lollipop 5.1.1 hat shows up once after start and the Sony hotliners don't know anything about it or I really have some sophisticated malware on my phone that survived a reset to factory settings and a softare repair by PC Companion.

Does anybody know something about it?

Regards

Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Phy — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 19:57:59 GMT

Boot on safe mode and check if you experience the same issue.

How to boot on safe mode on Lolipop
1. press and hold the power key
2. once you get the pop up menu
3. press and hold "power off"
4. Boot on safe mode should become available

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 23:27:01 GMT

Hi Phy,

thx for your reply. Booting in safe mode doesn't help. The messaging app shows same behaviour. When I start it, I end up in the "assistant". Maybe it helps when I describe what I see:

It's a picture or photo (fullscreen) showing two persons sitting at a table. In the upper left corner is sitting a man, to the lower right is sitting a woman. There are some tablets, phones and papers lying on the table. Mid top shows the Icon of the Messaging app. Just below is the word "Messaging" in bigger letters, below it the german text "Nachrichten versenden und Medien leicht an Ihre Freunde freigeben". Lower mid shows a blue button (rectangle) with the white text "Erste Schritte" (first steps). And bottom mid another text "Noch besseres Messaging mit neuen Stickern". I am from Germany and the language of the system is set to german so the german text is correct.

The picture or assistant shows up immediately after starting the messaging app. I cant get into the settings or see the list of retrieved SMS/MMS. I can only push the blue button or exit the messaging app. I dont know whats going to happen when i push the button, because if its not a Sony assistant then things might get even worse.

And something else: I tried a few Antivirus apps from google play store, they all found nothing suspicious in the system.

Any ideas?

Regards

Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Uliwooly — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 23:45:25 GMT

Could you take a screenshot?

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:43:44 GMT

Hello uliwooly, I took a screenshot and searched on google for it. Google found it here: http://alinopoor.persiangig.com/Z3-lolli/Screenshot_2015-02-27-20-51-48.jpg It can be accessed from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/app-z3-phonebook-dialer-coversation-t3125557 Its the version with english text. I get the same picture with german text only on my phone. Now I guess it seems to be a vaild assisstant/introduction of the messaging app which has to be run once after starting messaging for the first time (after upgrading to 5.1.1). Interesting is that I have never run into it on older android version when I received SMS. Also two of my colleagues don't know it. But most interesting is the fact that even two Sony hotliners on german hotline don't know it and suspect it to be some kind of malware although I described it in detail. Regards Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Uliwooly — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 17:52:42 GMT

@Mic_Daum_AC

That's rather odd, have you sideloaded the app or does your phone has a faulty SIM card or does it has a SIM card at all?

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:57:33 GMT

Hello uliwooly,

yes my phone has a SIM card and I doubt that its defect. And I haven't rooted my phone. I only installed some additional apps from official google play store and updates for the system that were automatically downloaded by the phone. I haven't made any changes to the system apps. I don't even know exactly how to do it, I only found out that I can not uninstall the messaging app in a conventional way.

So it seems that this isn't the original messaging app on my phone that it should be? Seems the phone was infected with some malware when I used chrome to surf the internet. But antivirus apps don't find any malicious software when scanning the system. Maybe they are mislead as the malware is already active.

The question is then how to get rid of it again as it survived a reset to factory settings and a repair by PC companion.

What else can I do to find out if this is the correct messaging app or a faked one?

I still haven't pressed the first steps button on that "assistant" as I am still not sure what is going to happen afterwards.

Regards

Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Uliwooly — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:33:08 GMT

@Mic_Daum_AC

What you could do is uninstall the messaging app since you have root access, or just repair the phone once more with PCC and do NOT install anything, if that doesn't help what if you install a different messaging app and disable this app? try google messenger.

@Thommo

Any suggestions?

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Thommo — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 22:01:23 GMT

This is a new one on me however reading XDA this sounds like the app or addon called Conversation, Check Settings then Apps then swipe to All and look for it and if you see it and you also see messaging then see if you can disable the 1st app mentioned but if you don't see messaging then leave alone - There is also a program called Debloater which could freeze the app and render it invisible and unable to be used

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 23:14:55 GMT

Hello Thommo,

I searched for "Conversation" app in applications. It's not there. I only find Messaging, Messaging-Service and Messaging-Extension

under apps --> all.

So I am getting quite nervous now, because it seems i don't have the original messaging app on my phone anymore but some other app that looks similar. And I don't have any idea how it got there and why it survives a reset and repair.

Where does that messaging app hide (the path) on the system? I would like to make some checksum of that app and compare this to the checksum of a correct messaging app of the lollipop 5.1.1 system.

Regards,

Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 12:36:02 GMT

... So far I disabled the standard messaging app and replaced it with googles messenger app.

But how can I ensure now that there is no malicious software active in the system? At the moment I am unsure because i can not explain how the "wrong" messaging app entered my phone and I am also unsure if there isn't any other app or module that does not belong there.

What would be the correct way to get a clean 5.1.1 lollipop system again? Or maybe i go back to the original 4.4.x that was installed when the phone was delivered and update to 5.x.x again. Is that possible?

Regards

Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

AnnoyedUKCustom — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 15:24:57 GMT

This screenshot:

http://alinopoor.persiangig.com/Z3-lolli/Screenshot_2015-02-27-20-51-48.jpg

is from the standard Sony messaging app. I don't think you have any malware. Sometimes the app gets "reset" and shows that screen but you can just proceed with the screen and you will see that it will open the messaging inbox and it is the standard app.

I cannot believe that there is no-one from Sony here that can give you such a simple answer and they are leaving you in doubt about having some malware and what to do about it. You don't need to reinstall or downgrade your phone.

What a support forum!

PS: I think that you will also get that screen if you go to the app settings and delete the cache and the app data and restart the app, however I cannot test this without deleting my SMS messages so I will let you try

If you delete your app data and restart it, remember to disable "MMS auto-download" to mitigate the risk of the Stagefright bug. (Is Sony ever going to release a fix for that?)

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 22:25:12 GMT

Thanks AnnoyedUKCustomer,

I got back to standard messaging app and started that assistant. Seems you are right. But it's really strange that no hotliners know about that. On my first call to my provider's hotline, the lady on the phone disappeared for a while to unpack a S3C freshly from a box and receive a test SMS from a colleague. She could open the SMS without going through that assistant. And that's what I remember when I received my first SMS from my new provider, that I could open/read it without going through these first steps. So it seems that the messaging app changed a bit from android 4.4.x to 5.1.1. And no one at german Sony hotline knows about it.

Thanks again!

Regards

Michael

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

AnnoyedUKCustom — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 08:54:37 GMT

My theory is this:

- if you install a SIM that has the SMS service centre number already configured then the "assistant" screen is bypassed, even if you use a completely new phone.

(just a theory)...

This would explain why the lady in the support centre could not see it.

Re: Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

Mic_Daum_AC — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 14:59:10 GMT

Yes, that seems to be a plausible explanation.

I consider my problem as solved. The thread has been marked accordingly.

Thanks for your help!

Regards

Michael