When you try to set your home page (browser, settings, more, set home page) there is a choosable-but-not-writable selection called "Use Default." If you have the InfoSpace malware, this will read "w w w . searchmobileonline . c o m" with a "/?source_id=..." string following.
Navigating to that page reveals the fake Google site you see when you click the Search magnifier or try to load a hijacked browser.
I received it with Brightest Flashlight.
I cleared it by deleting the app and search icon, then force-stopping the browser and clearing all data.
So far, it hasn't returned.
I believe the code is more sophisticated than a simple "default home page" selection. It will, seemingly on a timer, overwrite a saved previous page and load InfoSpace instead after restarting the browser. If you navigate away from the browser with IMDB open, for example, and do other things for 10 minutes, when you return, IMDB is showing. After a half hour, InfoSpace is showing. If you shut the phone off for a while and then open the browser, InfoSpace comes up with the browser.
If you read the privacy policy for InfoSpace, they are aggressive about collecting information and sharing it.
Navigating to that page reveals the fake Google site you see when you click the Search magnifier or try to load a hijacked browser.
I received it with Brightest Flashlight.
I cleared it by deleting the app and search icon, then force-stopping the browser and clearing all data.
So far, it hasn't returned.
I believe the code is more sophisticated than a simple "default home page" selection. It will, seemingly on a timer, overwrite a saved previous page and load InfoSpace instead after restarting the browser. If you navigate away from the browser with IMDB open, for example, and do other things for 10 minutes, when you return, IMDB is showing. After a half hour, InfoSpace is showing. If you shut the phone off for a while and then open the browser, InfoSpace comes up with the browser.
If you read the privacy policy for InfoSpace, they are aggressive about collecting information and sharing it.
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