[Llais Gobaith October 31, 2023] – Reports of Unauthorized Malware on Huawei, Honor, and Vivo Devices
Several users of Huawei, Honor, and Vivo smartphones have recently come forward, claiming that their devices are mistakenly identifying Google APP as a Trojan horse virus. These users state that the malware is being released without authorization and urge others to uninstall it immediately.
The issue has been widely reported on various platforms such as the Google Support Forum (Vivo thread), Reddit (Vivo thread), Huawei forums, and other Android communities. Users have encountered “security threat” warnings on their phones and tablets, prompting them to remove Google Apps due to the detection of “TrojanSMS-PA” malware.
Upon clicking the “View Details” option, users are greeted with a warning that states, “This application has been detected to send text messages privately, induce users to pay for adult content, download/install applications in private, or steal private information. Such activities can result in property damage and privacy breaches.”
In response, a Google spokesperson clarified, “This security notification was not triggered by the Google Store Protector and appears to originate from non-certified devices unable to officially download core Google apps from the Google Store.”
The spokesperson advised users to reach out to their device manufacturers for further information. They emphasized that “the Google Play Store is the only app store where core Google Android apps can be officially downloaded. All Google apps undergo rigorous testing, ensuring they meet Google’s quality standards and are safe.”
Independent verification by BleepingComputer confirmed that these warnings appear on Huawei devices with pre-installed Google core APPs (released before the ban) that have not been loaded with additional applications. However, it remains unclear which apps trigger the alerts on Vivo or Honor phones. If the Google app has not been sideloaded onto Huawei, Vivo, or Honor devices, it should be safe to disregard the warning and continue using it.
According to Chinese media outlet “IT House,” affected users possess various models such as Huawei P10, Huawei P20 Pro, Huawei P30 Pro, Huawei P40 Pro, Huawei Mate 20 X, Huawei nova 5T, Honor Magic 5 Lite, among others.
Possible Solutions
The Google community suggests two potential solutions to address this problem. Users are advised either to deactivate the Google APP, delete all its updates, and then reinstall it, or clear the cache and data of the Mobile Manager APP, followed by updating the virus database and AP.
Many users have reported this issue on the Google Support Forum (Vivo thread), Reddit (Vivo thread), Huawei forums, and various other Android communities, stating that their phones and tablets are showing “security threat” warnings. strange, prompting the removal of Google Apps and warned that it was detected as “TrojanSMS-PA” malware.
These security warnings advise users to “uninstall now” as the app is now considered high risk.
When the user further clicks on the “View Details” option, the warning shows “This application has been detected to send text messages privately, induce users to pay for adult content, download/install applications in private, or stealing private information, which can result in damage to property and breach of privacy.”
In response, a Google spokesperson said, “This security notification was not triggered by the Google Store Protector and appears to come from a device that is not certified by the Protector and cannot officially download core Google apps from the Google Store.”
He recommended that users contact their device manufacturers for more information, adding that “the Google Play Store is the only app store where core Google Android apps can be officially downloaded. All Google apps go through the same tests rigorous as all other apps on the Google Store. These Tests are designed to ensure that apps are safe and meet Google’s quality standards.”
According to independent verification by BleepingComputer, these warnings are displayed on Huawei devices that come with the Google core APP pre-installed (released before the ban) and without applications loaded into the side.
The outlet confirmed that the warnings were caused by the “Huawei Optimizer” application on Huawei devices. But it is unclear which apps show alerts for Vivo or Honor phones. If you haven’t sideloaded the Google app on your Huawei, Vivo or Honor phone yet, it should be safe to ignore the warning and keep it running.
Chinese media “IT House” said that affected users are all using different models, including Huawei P10, Huawei P20 Pro, Huawei P30 Pro, Huawei P40 Pro, Huawei Mate 20 X, Huawei nova 5T, Honor Magic 5 Lite, and so forth.
The Google community has compiled two solutions to this problem: users are advised to deactivate the Google APP, delete all its updates and then reinstall the Google APP; or clear the cache and data of the Mobile Manager APP, and then update the virus database and AP.
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