Subj : Huawei phones are flagging Google apps as malware
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Tue Oct 31 2023 14:00:06

Huawei phones are flagging Google apps as malware

Date:
Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:39:31 +0000

Description:
The warning claims Google's secretly sending SMS messages.

FULL STORY
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A number of Chinese-built smartphones are displaying a strange warning 
claiming that the Google Android app is malicious and should be immediately 
deleted. 

Reports have claimed some Huawei, Honor, and Vivo smartphones and tablets are 
all displaying a Security threat alert, detecting the Google app as 
TrojanSMS-PA. 

The details for the warning elaborate that the app is secretly sending SMS 
messages and could cause material damage to the user: "This app was detected 
sending SMS privately, enticing users to pay with adult content, 
downloading/installing apps privately, or stealing private information , 
which may cause property damage and privacy leakage," the warning reads."We 
recommend uninstalling it immediately." Huawei Optimizer to blame 

To further complicate things, the warnings were being displayed on devices 
built before the China ban, so the app came pre-loaded on the phones and 
tablets, and wasnt sideloaded. 

In a statement given to BleepingComputer , Google said the warning was not 
triggered by its Play Protect feature and that the users should take it up 
with whoever built the devices (meaning Huawei, Vivo, and others). 

"This security notification was not triggered by Google Play Protect and 
appears to be from a device that is not Play Protect certified and does not 
have access to officially download Google's core apps from Play. We recommend 
contacting the device manufacturer for further information, said the companys 
spokesperson. 

Google Play is the only app store where you can officially download Google's 
core apps for Android. All Google apps go through the same rigorous testing 
as all other apps on Google Play. These tests are designed to ensure that 
apps are safe, secure, and meet Google's quality standards." 

Further analysis has shown that the warning was being issued by Huawei 
Optimizer, an app native to Huawei phones. It is yet unclear why other 
devices are showing the same warning. The Chinese manufacturers are yet to 
comment on the news. Right now, the general consensus is that the warning is 
a false positive, and unless users were sideloading the Google app from 
unverified sources, they could safely ignore it. More from TechRadar Pro 
These fake Android antivirus apps install a dangerous banking trojan Here's a 
list of the best firewalls today These are the best malware removal tools 
around



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/huawei-phones-are-flagging-google-apps-
as-malware


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