Help Unasked-for apps installed

[maplewood]

Something is installing all kinds of game apps on my rooted S3 without my asking. (About one new game every few days).

I've wiped the phone and gone through Tibu looking for unknown entries but nothing seems foreign or suspect.

In TiBu there are apps that are struck-through which I think means they have been deleted but there's nothing in that list that seems suspect.

How do I ascertain what is installing these games (and god knows what else behind the scenes) and exterminate it?

 

[legalkill]

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/732747-my-phone-downloads-apps-i-do-not-want.html

 

[dontpanicbobby]

maplewood did you install Windows Live Hotmail Push Emails at any time? That program and other programs which as part of the permission required ask you to allow search icons to be placed on your home screen can cause the behavior you're describing. Funkylogic found that app in the thread legalkill so kindly linked to.

 

[maplewood]

Nope. Never even heard of that one. But I did install a icon pack. I'll dump that one as a start.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Lookout Ad Network Detector, a freeware app in the Play Store, is a tool that can help you with your search for the culprit.

 

[maplewood]

Lookout Ad Network Detector, a freeware app in the Play Store, is a tool that can help you with your search for the culprit.

Thanks for that suggestion.

Other than AdMob (which seems nearly impossible to totally kill) there's nothing that Ad Detector reports.

 

[maplewood]

So this is really getting annoying. Mystery game-looking apps still show up.

I want to wipe the phone, take it back to (near) stock and start over. However, once I do that and log into my Play Store account won't whatever (hidden) malware just re-install itself? Or if not Play Store than perhaps might TiBu re-infect the phone?

Is there some way to tell Play Store NOT to re-download unless I ask for it.

I don't think that I want a new Play account since I would need to repurchase those apps I've paid for. Is there a way to transfer a license to a different account?

Ugh. What a pain.

 

[Eebobat]

I had this problem, the culprit was Windows Live.

 

[maplewood]

I had this problem, the culprit was Windows Live.

I wish I could point to that, but I don't have Windows Live (well, not to my knowledge).

I had a Windows Live account on my PC way back when but don't know if it's still active. But I doubt that would be related to my phone. Would it?