Ads by StartApp
BetsyD
Cincinnati, OH Icrontian
So last week I started getting popups on my phone. No matter what program I'm in, or what I'm doing, randomly the screen will dim and a revolving ad will appear. Lower left corner is an info button that when clicked rolls out and says "Ads by StartApp" and the upper left is a close icon. I've downloaded Ad Detector, and Avast!Mobile Security and neither of them find anything even though Google says that they should be able to find apps with StartApp attached.
So has anyone here seen this? I hadn't installed any software shortly before it started happening. I've tried uninstalling everything that I've downloaded in the last few months. I'd prefer not to have to completely wipe my phone because I have GoodForEnterprise and the service desk is a PITA when you have to get a new pin for it.
Specs: Galaxy S4 Android 4.4.2
Comments
If you long-press the ad, do you get the pop up for app-info? You should be able to disable/remove the offending app via that.
Long press does nothing.
Was gonna suggest App Ops to disable push notification permissions for everything and see if that helped it, but apparently Google decided you're not allowed to change permissions on stuff anymore as of 4.4.2. Of course, if you're rooted that's not an issue.
http://startapp-opt-out.android.informer.com/
One of the apps you use regularly has been updated to utilize this ad provider. Check Google Play to see what apps have been recently updated and start there.
Everything I read on that startapp opt out thing is that it pushes the malware deeper into your system not fixes it. Google play only shows the thing that i just updated today in the recently updated (Verizon protect). I've now uninstalled everything that is able to be uninstalled except for Good. I'll see if it happens again with everything uninstalled.
I think adblock for Android actually works as a proxy instead of a browser plugin. It might block stuff from in-app ad pushers. You can always try installing adblock.
Well, I waited a day after uninstalling everything (btw: I didn't realize how many downloaded games I had, and how much of my day I fill with them, a whole day without games on my phone might as well have been a century) and it didn't happen again. Yesterday I reinstalled programs I "knew" to be safe (Adobe, skype, facebook, programs with real companies behind them, essentially) then today I started installing programs that weren't backed by a known entity, and the first one I did was the offending program; "Calculator Widget". I went to put it back on my "desktop" and it freaked out with multiple of the popups all trying to pop up at once. Problem solved?
Sounds like it.