A question about malware - X 2014 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So this has been bothering me for a while.
But are you able to catch android malware through chrome? Either through a compromised website or malicious advert. Because I have ran into a few news sites /blogs that can actually bring up the play store when you interact with the page. *my history shows two sites behind the play store opening, trackerguru and directrev*
Assuming of course you leave everything at stock in settings. So no outside source app installs and etc.
Anyways what do you all think? Is there a reason to fret or is it at worst just a ad annoyingly opening the play store?

Related

Android Market alternatives for those with no access to Market

It's apparent some carriers are not supporting the Android Market.
For those that don't have access to the Market and want access to apps, have you tried getting SAM (app store) client for your G1 from SlideME.org?
http:/slideme.org/sam2.apk
Anyone in the world can use SAM to safely buy and download with no limitations and without entering any sensitive info such as credit card details from your phone.
The only thing is that you will not see as many apps as you would on the Market, but with users help & input one day developers will realize that stocking Android Market alone does not do any good for marketing their apps to the international communities. Not to mention that the rest of the world will be hesitant to provide even their shopping habits to google.
So, you could look for apps on SlideME or Cyrket that has all the apps on Market and contact the developer and ask them to get their act together to stock other stores such as SlideME.org for this exact reason. Not everyone has access to the Android Market!!!
Follow apps from http://twitter.com/slideme if you like.
Here is an earlier announcement from SlideME team: http://www.prweb.com/releases/android/slideme/prweb2035414.htm
I am in India. and i was missing buying the apps..but not anymore..There aren't as many apps as on the market but then its just the begining...
thank you.
do we get automatic upgrades etc from you like the market provides- i looked at using slideme but wasnt sure how you would get the free upgrades for apps u have already paid for...i am in australia.
I haven't heard promising things about SlideMe's DRM solution, which appears to constantly contact the Slideme store when normal apps downloaded from Slideme are running, and not just the SlideMe market.
It looks good, and will probably be accepting Paypal. Nice alternative!
So what are developers to do? Well, recently I bashed on the SlideLOCK in a previous post… Though - the more I looked at it, this seems like the best option for developers to protect their applications. Though, hopefully google will remedy this solution and fast. Until then though, strike-one google market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://strazzere.com/blog/?p=185
The last time I used Slideme it never showed updated or new apps so I had no idea when to look. Has this since been changed?
yeah- i want to know as well if you get automatic updates for each program bought?
We do updates for any downloaded apps. Maybe you have tried an old version of SAM.

Redirects to app store

So recently I've been noticing, depending on the page, that I will be scrolling and suddenly the Play Store pops open and directs me to download a game or app. The most recent one was uber. I did a Google search and it looks like the android equivalent of a pop up ad, just much more intrusive. Are there any ways to stop this from happening or to block it?
Also, is there an ad blocker that blocks out those stupid clickbait and suggested for you ads that load on every single page and bog it down to all hell?

Brand new and setting up Google now and others

T-Mobile replaced my 1 week old phone with this brand new beauty.
The store manager kind of set things up in the store (guess he thought quicker than giving to this old man who is slower than molasses.
So, reading tips and tricks this the S6, I found a part about setting up Google now for my personal assistant. I go to the app box and there are lots of Google stuff but nothing that says Google now. Help please.
Then, he set up lookout but I read people say delete that one and use Knox that comes with phone. Help with that please.
Finally, How do I set up my Samsung account on the phone. I can find tons that say "to do it" but unable to find explanations on how to.
Thank you all.
Google now is part of the Google app (blue google icon). Once you open it, look for the hamburger and there are settings were you can turn on certain cards you want.
Lookout is garbage. I don't think you can remove it, I believe you can only disable it. Lookout is an antivirus/malware scanner, while Knox is a bit different. Knox is several different pieces of software that ensures your phone hasn't been tampered with software wise to ensure the device is a trusted platform. It's mainly a concern for enterprise users, if you don't use it, it should be transparent and can be left alone.
Go to one of the Samsung apps - the Galaxy Apps one is probably your best bet, and just create an account there.
se1000 said:
Google now is part of the Google app (blue google icon). Once you open it, look for the hamburger and there are settings were you can turn on certain cards you want.
Lookout is garbage. I don't think you can remove it, I believe you can only disable it. Lookout is an antivirus/malware scanner, while Knox is a bit different. Knox is several different pieces of software that ensures your phone hasn't been tampered with software wise to ensure the device is a trusted platform. It's mainly a concern for enterprise users, if you don't use it, it should be transparent and can be left alone.
Go to one of the Samsung apps - the Galaxy Apps one is probably your best bet, and just create an account there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much. Should we install any type of antivirus/malware protection?
nakedland said:
Thank you very much. Should we install any type of antivirus/malware protection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it's necessary unless you're looking to install apps from third party sites. If you stick to downloading from the google play store, you can skip the virus/malware scanners IMO.
se1000 said:
I don't think it's necessary unless you're looking to install apps from third party sites. If you stick to downloading from the google play store, you can skip the virus/malware scanners IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Grazie :good::good:

Living without PlayStore

So... I've searched for a similar thread, but I didn't found any so I decided to make a new one.
As I don't want to use any google services on my telephone I had to purge Play Store also. I've searched for alternatives. I came across Fdroid - actually the store I've searched for. The only problem I've faced is there are no proprietary apps. I try to reject using of proprietary software as much as possible, but many of my friends use proprietary chat apps like WhatsApp, Viber etc.
So I've searched a solution to get this proprietary apps without much tricks...just keep it simple. I came across Aptoid - another android store, but I didn't liked the idea behind very well - you can find lots cracked apps etc. and that is not what I am looking for. Second point is - all apps are outdated - so you are missing the new version of the apps and their security and performance fixes. It didn't suited my needs so I decided to purge Aptoide.
So... after a bit of research I founded another two solutions:
APKmirror - it is a website - there is no app for it. So If you want to use it you have to go to the website and download and install .apk manually (you also need to enable Untrusted Sources in your security settings). The website has very nice interface and it looks exactly as a normal appstore. I've bookmarked it and placed it on my homescreen - so it is usable - no pain in the *** at all. The packages seems to be "trusted" as the packet signature is checked with the one of the original developer. All apps are updated - you can even download beta versions (before they hit PlayStore) and if it goes wrong... you can easily downgrade to previous verions - very nice feature. This site is related to Android Police - as it is a good source in my opinion, I think the packages there are trust-able. Is there anyone who has additional info about APKmirror?
APKpure - the second solution I came across. I wasn't able to find any additional information about this source or any review so I really have no idea who is standing behind this project. Anyway... I downloaded several apps and I checked the app signature and it seems fine - every app I checked matched the original signature of the developer. There are also "Trusted" marks same as APKmirror. All of the apps are updated. It looks pretty much like APKmirror - there is no app, just website. You can easily update your applications too so it suit all my needs. Anyway... I would like to get some additional information about it... it seems to me like mirror of PlayStore but... anyone who knows more maybe?
Apkpure has a app that you can download. Just have to watch certain apps such as play games will update to the 038 version when I am completely updated to the 030 version in the play store. Apkmirror describes this on their website when you download certain apps. Just though you should know about the app.
One thing I miss Fromm the Google play store is Google games for backup of games data and achievements. When cyanogen finishes partnership with the social gaming network, play games or whatever it's called, I'll hopefully be able to get away from the Google play store. Course devs would have to enable those servers for achievements etc, which is a long shot. Till then helium is my best friend I guess.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Kindle Fire 5th Gen & G-Suite issues with Google Play

Howdy,
I am looking for some very specific help here on my device and so will try to provide as much information as I can with regards to it.
The basic issue is that I cannot, for any adequate length of time (more than a few minutes or hours), access the Google Play store on my Kindle Fire 5th Gen after it's initial installation. This is on Fire OS 5.3.2.1.
Where I started:
I have followed the instructions on how to install Google Play on the Kindle Fire without requiring root, which is basically the installation of the four required APKs. I used the script posted here on the forums and it worked well enough, but I've also copied the APKs locally to the device and installed them from there using the Local Storage tab in the Docs app.
The issue:
Within a few minutes or hours of having the Google Play store working, I am, for a second time, prompted to accept the Google Play terms and conditions when I load the store app. Once I accept (which I have no real choice otherwise, it just exits the app if I click Decline), I am now faced with an empty store screen and the message saying that there are no apps I can install as my Administrator has not made any available to me.
As I am my own Administrator, I know this is utter nonsense. This is also only the case on my account, as a dummy account that is not part of my G-Suite account does not have this issue, but alas, also does not have my purchases associated with it so this is not a good permanent choice.
My troubleshooting:
This issue seems to be entirely due to some issue with the fact that I am using a G-Suite account (the previously named Google Apps for Work) and not just your average Google account. The "apparent" issue is that the Google Play Store app seems to think I am using an Advanced management device (more info here, support.google.com/a/answer/6328699).
I have spent a few hours on the phone with G-Suite support on this. There was a point I mistakenly had the Advanced management settings on (EMM is the main culprit setting, the ability for the Administrator to control which apps their users can install, users being myself, my wife, and our son), but I have since, and for over a week now, had it off. They say toggling that takes about 24 hours to propagate, so that should be plenty of time. All I really wanted anyway was the Basic management anyway, i.e., being able to remotely locate, wipe, remove account, etc., on my various devices should they be lost or stolen, but I turned on some settings that weren't worded well enough for me to understand, apparently, and so Advanced it was.
Even with the EMM off, I still receive this error. At this point, I have many times over removed both the device from my G-Suite account as well as turned off mobile management entirely (it currently sits off and has since last week) which should have made it about as equivalent to a standard Google account as you can get, and yet still, the second prompting of the terms and service and the subsequent inability to browse the store after more than a short while after it just worked a bit ago.
Workarounds:
I can uninstall all four Google services apps, re-install them, add a dummy account, and get any free apps I want installed on my Kindle added, then uninstall again, re-install again, and add my account back, and then launch the apps and have them work. But again, this doesn't give me access to my purchased apps or add-ins so is not the best choice of action, nor is having to do this whole process again and try to get the Google Play store to work for those precious few minutes before it conks out. Sometimes it's not even a few minutes, but usually it is, but nevertheless, not the best all-around choice.
My hopeful resolution?:
Since neither I nor G-Suite Support seems to know of a setting that is currently preventing this from working, I am wanting to try some other methods that seem logical to me.
1) Putting the Google Play Store on my wife's profile on my Kindle and have it install any apps for all users and not just her profile. That "all users" part is what I am missing how to do. I know the script mentioned above that installs Google Play does install to all users so I know it's possible. Naturally, I would prefer this done through the store and not through manual APKs but beggars can't be choosers. I just want my auto-updates!
2) Allowing the adding and management of multiple Google accounts under my single profile. Currently, only one Google account can be added using the method of installing the Google Play store above, and if I could add mine and a dummy one, it should also work, in theory, by just swapping back and forth on the Play store. Still limited by purchases that are tied to my account (I believe), but not add-ins. I'd have to see how much trouble that is worth, but it could be better than nothing.
3) Anything else someone here on the forums can think of.
I'm open to questions, suggestions, or whatever at this point. I've now spent two weeks on this and yet still no resolution.
Thanks!
Tough issue, but not entirely unexpected behavior given the interdependencies of Google Play services components and undocumented assumptions of how play services/store will be installed on unrooted systems. Layer on G-suite and you have a snakes pit. My guess is one of more of the installed components is self-updating while the others are not. Probably not going to be able to control that behavior on an unrooted device.
May be less involved (and more successful) grabbing a refurb from Amazon Warehouse which typically arrive with older/rootable firmware.
Did you ever find a solution to this? I've got exactly the same problem now... Information seems light out there.
oilerfan21 said:
Did you ever find a solution to this? I've got exactly the same problem now... Information seems light out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I never got a fix for this, and unfortunately I have been relegated to just uninstalling all apps that came direct from APKs or just not from the Amazon Appstore. It sucks and makes my Fire not very worth it, despite the nice price tag.

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