Help Is this malware? lock screen hijack?

BrownDevil said:

No. I mean we were never able to find the source of it, so just went with the factory reset and all is well now.
Thanks!

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tube517 said:

Does it have any battery booster apps, ES file explorer, or Flash Keyboard?
Check this list if the phone has it:
• Amber Weather Widget • ES App Locker • GO apps (of note: GO Weather, GO SMS, GO Keyboard, Next Browser) • Kingo Root • KittyPlay Wallpapers, Ringtones • TouchPal apps (TouchPal makes multiple keyboard apps) • Xender (file transfer app) • Zero Team apps (of note: Z Camera)
These are all known apps that can put adware your phone and put unnecessary apps like that lockscreen in the picture

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ItnStln511 said:

In regards to ES File Explorer does the Pro version put apps on the lockscreen or just the free version?

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ItnStln511 said:

<font color ='#9e9e9e'>Hadron </font>
<font color ='#9e9e9e'>If you've not already paid for it I suggest just looking at alternatives: </font><font color ='#9e9e9e'>Solid Explorer</font><font color ='#9e9e9e'> is good, </font><font color ='#9e9e9e'>X-Plore</font><font color ='#9e9e9e'> is very powerful though less conventional in its UI, and </font><font color ='#9e9e9e'>Root Explorer</font><font color ='#9e9e9e'> is still very usable (which has a free version without root abilities, just called </font><font color ='#9e9e9e'>Explorer</font><font color ='#9e9e9e'>). </font>

<font color ='#9e9e9e'>I've used all 3 of these, and would use any of them in preference to ES, which has some data privacy concerns in addition to this more recent development (which has come about a couple of years after I last used ES). </font>



I've already paid for ES Pro, but I'll check out your recommendations. Thanks!
Do any of these give the pop up ads on the lock screen?

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ItnStln511 said:

I've already paid for ES Pro, but I'll check out your recommendations. Thanks!
Do any of these give the pop up ads on the lock screen?

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tube517 said:

Yes.

https://www.xda-developers.com/psa-...le-explorer-brings-adware-to-your-lockscreen/

I used to be a loyal ES File Explorer user. It was simply the best. However, when Cheetah Mobile bought them, I uninstalled it right away. Take the monetary loss. It's not worth having adware on your phone.

I just switched to Solid Explorer (I used Xplore and Total Commander) and it's worth what i paid.

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Hadron said:

None of those I've named do. As tube has said, ES itself may be a different matter (I ditched it several years ago, so haven't had recent experience of it).


Did Cheetah Mobile buy them? I know they've put DU code in it, who are an adware outfit similar in many ways to to CM, but I've not found a source to say that CM own ES now.

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