3rd Party Android Phone Keeps Installing malicious Apps/Malware

So I've had this on the back burner for some time, since I've been busy with work, however my patience has had its final limit with this budget phone since it has managed to disable/corrupt its own access to the internet even when connected to direct WiFi Access, (as in, it pretends that there's no internet whenever it is immediately connected to the internet.) Thus having me constantly having to turn off WiFi to settle with a constant weak 144 kb/s LTE signal. And if that isn't bad enough, near since day one this phone has been trying to do back installations of malicious applications, adware, malware, (you name it,) without my administrative command. (And I've reset this phone over 5 times, with reassurance that none of this malware that I've received was due to my own actions since I've done nothing different/risky since before I've had this current phone to what I had done before to my older phone, or any other platform I had used up to this point.) I suspect this welfare phone, particularly the company manufacturer of the custom Kernel for this device has been deliberately designed with malicious back door access to 3rd parties, as this situation is only unique to the phone and no other device of my possession. Unfortunately, until I possess an additional $250 to pick up a better [or rather my own provider approved] phone, (should anyone be willing to donate, do not hesitate to spam my inbox,) I'm simply stuck to ask what I could do to root out these malware installers and replace the Kernel OS with a stable basic Android OS, with default applications. I've done most of what I can to do the surface level fixes, but it's clear this is more rooted into the internal kernel somewhere that needs the entire bios flashed over with literally anything else. Any and all advice/help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Is it an actual Linux phone, or Android?

Not really a Linux question otherwise, and I'd recommend our partner site, AndroidQuestions.org. You can use your LQ sign-on for that site.

The other parts are that people in LQ are not supposed to help root phones or break security which has been put in place by a manufacturer. Not sure if this is exactly what you're discussing, however it sounds close. If that specific form of direction, it is against our Site Rules, as you may already know.

Next is your complaint that you have a discount phone that seems to be working intentionally against your wishes. That would seem to be a product or manufacturer support question.

Or as you've already noted, a replacement phone.

I'd also bear in mind that there do seem to be some products where they offer the product at a very low price, or free, with the agreement that they will give you advertisements as part of receiving and using their free product. In that case you typically agree with their policies as you activate the product.

Might be more helpful to tell people what make and model the phone is and what carrier you are using.

Originally Posted by rtmistler Is it an actual Linux phone, or Android? Not really a Linux question otherwise, and I'd recommend our partner site, AndroidQuestions.org. You can use your LQ sign-on for that site. The other parts are that people in LQ are not supposed to help root phones or break security which has been put in place by a manufacturer. Not sure if this is exactly what you're discussing, however it sounds close. If that specific form of direction, it is against our Site Rules, as you may already know. Next is your complaint that you have a discount phone that seems to be working intentionally against your wishes. That would seem to be a product or manufacturer support question. Or as you've already noted, a replacement phone. I'd also bear in mind that there do seem to be some products where they offer the product at a very low price, or free, with the agreement that they will give you advertisements as part of receiving and using their free product. In that case you typically agree with their policies as you activate the product. Might be more helpful to tell people what make and model the phone is and what carrier you are using.

Originally Posted by rtmistler The other parts are that people in LQ are not supposed to help root phones or break security which has been put in place by a manufacturer. Not sure if this is exactly what you're discussing, however it sounds close. If that specific form of direction, it is against our Site Rules, as you may already know.

No, I apologize otherwise if it sounds like I'm trying to suggest something else, I'm saying that I feel, (more rather certain,) that the manufacturer desigined this phone's Kernel with a seemingly lack or progressive malware/adware installer misfits in mind. Such strange applications that keep installing itself onto my phone is named apps as follows;

• Book Update
• Toolss
• PureCleaner
• Free Games
• System Toolss
• Camera HD

These are the more predominant applications that keep installing themselves onto my phone, (presumably through some form of APK unpacker of some form,) that I end up deleting constantly because it causes frequent slowdowns or launches of the google play store when I'm using a different app that I'm seen so many times after resetting that I'm certain that the device has been rooted in of itself, or atleast designed that way.

To suggest that I'm deliberately asking to break into the phone's security, (for as best as I'm trying to reiterate my issues to the best of my own understanding,) is false, to what may be an already compromised device. I'm literally just trying to clean out this garbage that appears to be more than skin deep.

Originally Posted by rtmistler That would seem to be a product or manufacturer support question.

The device ID on the Back of the phone itself, labels it as, (Get this gamer-tag,) "BLAZE_X500" from this welfare program sported from the company known as "Truconnect," both of which I've been able to find little information on, and to the company's self, I've yet to been able to find/get any tech support call lines for. (Not to honestly believe that I'd get much help on that end either, "Hello, yeah, I've reset my Phone 5 times and the same Malware Keeps popping up, What is wrong with your Android Kernel?") Not to suggest the company has or will do Mal-intent further, but since my phone seems to be running android 7.0, (a modified slimmed down version,) I'm trying to do as much as I can to clean out the current Kernel for using the phone as intended. (That being a basic Android Phone of course.)

Originally Posted by rtmistler Might be more helpful to tell people what make and model the phone is and what carrier you are using.

Well the carrier was as I mentioned this free phone program, that I forget the name of, but I've since moved the carrier quite easily to my current AT&T provider. Since the phone wasn't seemingly locked to whatever this welfare program was it was easy to slip in a new AT&T sim Card, so as I myself was the one who registered the phone to my own provider, getting any support of any kind from them isn't going to go anywhere soon. So :| ...

I don't see a phone model. Some sticker that they put on the back may not represent the model and instead may give an ID string that someone chose as part of distribution. You should check the settings menu and see if there is an "About Phone" section which will give you the exact model phone you have.

Seeing as you're saying Android 7.0, then sorry this is not a Linux question. Moving your question to a Non-Nix forum to gain it better exposure.

Originally Posted by rtmistler I don't see a phone model. Some sticker that they put on the back may not represent the model and instead may give an ID string that someone chose as part of distribution. You should check the settings menu and see if there is an "About Phone" section which will give you the exact model phone you have. Seeing as you're saying Android 7.0, then sorry this is not a Linux question. Moving your question to a Non-Nix forum to gain it better exposure.

Yep, Same ID. I'm going to probably mirror this post to the Android questions, but I can't guarantee it as of this immediate moment, depending on how well our intranet handles the pages, seeming slow so far, and I'm just logging in right now.

The strange apps are help you visit parallel worlds when you're standing in the right place at the right time. Haven't you played Persona?

Seriously, though:

Is the phone yours, or do you have it on loan?

If it's yours, then can you put LineageOS on it?

Originally Posted by dugan The strange apps are help you visit parallel worlds when you're standing in the right place at the right time. Haven't you played Persona? Seriously, though: Is the phone yours, or do you have it on loan? If it's yours, then can you put LineageOS on it?

The Phone is Legally mine, (or to whatever SoCAL Welfare Would like me to believe,) and receiving the phone was as easy as showing them certain ID cards with the handout and activation done with no second questions asked. The phone line in Particular is especially mine as I replaced the original budget sim card with an AT&T sim card I ordered from the store itself. In terms of flashing it with another OS? Yeah I'd like to be clued into the procedure. I don't care which kind, as in anything that is basically how the original Android 7.0 is supposed to act, (along with a step by step video tutorial in particular please,) would be better than what I have now. But yes it is mine.

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On a side note as well I've posted the topic to the recommended AndriodQuestions forum, to no responses so far. Not certain if it is a low populous or dead forum, but it is visually behind on the aesthetic note to warrant some concern either way. Just saying.

^ there are processes to identify android devices.
my first guess would be
settings => system => about phone
equipped with that information, you need to start searching if there's an alternative.
be aware: it's a jungle.
and don't install anything that isn't specifically for your device.

to me it sounds like social welfare made a deal with some data mining company; so even vanilla android would be much better than what you have now.

Originally Posted by ondoho ^ there are processes to identify android devices. my first guess would be settings => system => about phone equipped with that information, you need to start searching if there's an alternative. be aware: it's a jungle. and don't install anything that isn't specifically for your device. to me it sounds like social welfare made a deal with some data mining company; so even vanilla android would be much better than what you have now.

When I say that the model literally calls itself "BLAZE_X500" I mean it seemingly is also digitally signed as of such as well inside the phone itself within the about phone as well too. I took some time to attempt to research it, and I do have a PDF of the manual from the company itself that calls the product as it is, https://fccid.io/2AIMEX500/User-Manu...Manual-3716680 as well as at least a feeling based on some image searching for similar looking models for flashing a new and/or custom Image through as a supposed build preference, if articles online would recommend, that this product may come from ZTE, though that's only a guess, as the phone literally bears no outside markings that would suggest a particular company's product, unlike most other phones.

https://www.zteusa.com/blade-x

(Visually the same with everything except the back camera and the indent on the rear to the phone I have from the pictures alone, though that may just be a coincidence.)

I've been looking for a PC downloadable file for the Base Level Nougat OS to re-flash the phone with, (or whatever the "How to" articles here suggests, https://www.technobuzz.net/install-a...ougat-android/, https://beebom.com/how-to-install-an...ndroid-device/) yet I can't seem to find any trustworthy uploads. Let alone the Android Website itself seemingly doesn't provide a direct download on the site that I can find so far. I would attempt to take this phone physically apart, however especially due to the weak state of the plastic casing involved of the phone's own design, I prefer to avoid to do so when I do not need to. This is some of the best I can find so far for it. I just need to really flash it with a base android OS Kernel, but I need to know what to be aware of beforehand before doing so, to ensure that this is the proper Android for the phone model.

Did you consider doing a system reset to factory default?