[heading4tomorrow]

Not saying I hate Android or Priv, but let me say that I miss my Z30 or Passport.
Years of BB10 usage, not even once some app or website tried to scam me or tick me into installing some crappy app, and never had to "cool my phone down" for any reason.

[Ulferini Schusterotti]

Honestly. if you don't take care about what apps you install or which browser you use this happens. It's the same with PCs and how people use them.

I would factory reset it.

[anon(3732391)]

Let's pretend that your mobile device is like a computer.
Holy handheld, Batman! it IS a computer.
And you wouldn't run your home computer without security software or would you?

And if you have an Android, surely you read through the pros and cons. Android has been Notorious for being hit with all kinds of virus. the first one hit some 250 thousand devices in 2014

The reason you never had this problem on your Z30 is due to the famous Blackberry security that is used by the military, major corporations and even our devices.

If that bogus virus warning showed up on your home computer, you'd simply close your browser. The trick here is that you don't actually have a virus until you actually do what this popup tells you to do. If you do that, then you just downloaded a virus..If you did that on your handheld, (or home computer) there's no assurances that even the best security will find everything.

So let's pretend you have to do a wipe and install all new downloads and apps and install a good anti-virus program/app.
Security is about the most important program you should have. And, keep in mind, if it's free, it's not worth the time it take to set it up.

And, this time, you may want to set up your browser!
Anyway, Look at the pro side. Well, nevermind, let's look at the cons.
infact, beat yourself up for not sticking with your Z30 and then update and start using it again.

I have a passport and it runs in a class that the other platforms can't touch.

[misterabrasive]

Let's pretend that your mobile device is like a computer.
Holy handheld, Batman! it IS a computer.
And you wouldn't run your home computer without security software or would you?

And if you have an Android, surely you read through the pros and cons. Android has been Notorious for being hit with all kinds of virus. the first one hit some 250 thousand devices in 2014

The reason you never had this problem on your Z30 is due to the famous Blackberry security that is used by the military, major corporations and even our devices.

If that bogus virus warning showed up on your home computer, you'd simply close your browser. The trick here is that you don't actually have a virus until you actually do what this popup tells you to do. If you do that, then you just downloaded a virus..If you did that on your handheld, (or home computer) there's no assurances that even the best security will find everything.

So let's pretend you have to do a wipe and install all new downloads and apps and install a good anti-virus program/app.
Security is about the most important program you should have. And, keep in mind, if it's free, it's not worth the time it take to set it up.

And, this time, you may want to set up your browser!
Anyway, Look at the pro side. Well, nevermind, let's look at the cons.
infact, beat yourself up for not sticking with your Z30 and then update and start using it again.

I have a passport and it runs in a class that the other platforms can't touch.

All that, plus the choice of sketchy adult websites.

[Mirko935]

It's been some 10+ years since I've last seen something like that on my Windows PCs, and never on my Android phones. Just use your brain when installing apps and going online and you'll be safe.

[FF22]

It's been some 10+ years since I've last seen something like that on my Windows PCs, and never on my Android phones. Just use your brain when installing apps and going online and you'll be safe.

Actually, a bunch of us had this, this past June on a vacation to the Azores and Madeira. And it happened on Apple and Android devices. Probably associated with the hotel wifi. It happened in two different hotels. I don't recall if the woman with the Z30 got it, too.

It would not be dismissed so a RESTART was required.

[ggendel]

I highly recommend putting in "ublock origin" and "privacy badger" extensions in your browser. They not only prevents these things but makes browsing faster by suppressing ads.

[heading4tomorrow]

Honestly. if you don't take care about what apps you install or which browser you use this happens. It's the same with PCs and how people use them.

I would factory reset it.

That's bit extreme isn't it. Factory reseting every time we see a phishing website?

This is just a website claiming my phone is infected. The problem is browser is giving away phone name to website and website is trying to trick me. I thought Priv was supposed to be the most secure android phone. Think from an oblivious users point of view. If I was an old guy and panic, I might get infected for real. Knowing this kind of nonsense I took a screenshot, laughed at it and moved on.

Coming from BB10, I am not an app junkie. I only have essential and reputable apps. This has nothing to do with apps.

Also the battery warning legit as its coming from Android system.

PS: I do not visit porn sites on my Priv. This was through a NYC blog which randomly opened pop-ups when I was searching for more info on a neighborhood.

[heading4tomorrow]

I highly recommend putting in "ublock origin" and "privacy badger" extensions in your browser. They not only prevents these things but makes browsing faster by suppressing ads.

Thanks. There definitely has to be something like a true firewall on these phones but sadly thanks to Google we don't get to control most of those permissions, or when we disable them apps stop running.

I stopped using Chrome and started using Opera. Much faster and stable and blocks ads automatically without an add on. I'll check about other add-ons to block getting phone identifying data.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Actually, a bunch of us had this, this past June on a vacation to the Azores and Madeira. And it happened on Apple and Android devices. Probably associated with the hotel wifi. It happened in two different hotels. I don't recall if the woman with the Z30 got it, too.

I sometimes do work on hotel/motel networks in the US - and while the big hotels are usually pretty good, the mid-range places and below often have very outdated networks and poor network security. In lots of cases, they've had zero maintenance since they were installed - no firmware updates, no security patches, nothing - for YEARS. If that's true in the US, with plenty of IT support, I could only imagine that the Azores aren't full of trained network techs, and their networks are likely even worse (if that's possible). So, yeah, it sounds to me like the DNS service at those hotels were being redirected and you have no idea where your traffic was being sent to. That's scary!

I always use a VPN when using a public network for that very reason.

[FF22]

I always use a VPN when using a public network for that very reason.

I have to admit that I know next to nothing about VPN's. Don't you still log in and use the hotel's wifi even to get to a vpn?

I recently subscribed to Windscribe but did not try it when I was down in Sedona. I think the wifi was okay whatever that might mean. But I also did not transact any banking or purchases. Maybe I would have learned a bit more.

[oldsoul123]

Blackberry 10 had a lot more checks and balances when it came to what apps it would allow on BBW. Android does not have the same security requirements, and that's partially why it's more popular for app developers than BB10. In order to have the same level of security on your Priv, that you had on your BB10 device, part of the responsibility lies on you, the user, and what you put on your device. Android is a completely different animal, and even though BlackBerry has cooked security software into their version, it's still Android.

[YeemanBB]

I have to admit that I know next to nothing about VPN's. Don't you still log in and use the hotel's wifi even to get to a vpn?

I recently subscribed to Windscribe but did not try it when I was down in Sedona. I think the wifi was okay whatever that might mean. But I also did not transact any banking or purchases. Maybe I would have learned a bit more.

I wouldn't trust any vpn more than motel wifi. Think about it, everything you do with a vpn can be read by the vpn server. There is nothing you can hide from it.

[heading4tomorrow]

I wouldn't trust any vpn more than motel wifi. Think about it, everything you do with a vpn can be read by the vpn server. There is nothing you can hide from it.

I thought data gets encrypted over VPN, but even so, I am curious if you can buy a $100 router and enable VPN and then connect to your home router when you are away, then use that connection as your VPN server? Is that something possible?

These things still don't have anything to do with Android's (or Priv's) vulnerability not as a device but allowing the users to get spoofed easily through these phishing websites. Most secure device should actually think about this kind of nonsense being on the internet. Yes, the device is as secure as the user, but it's device's job to protect the user as well. Not everyone knows about these things and if it was my mom, for example, she'd panic.

[Troy Tiscareno]

A VPN is a Virtual Private Network. Essentially, it's an encrypted link that can exist on - and can protect traffic going through - a public network like the Internet.

I have my home router (a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter) set up to accept a remote VPN connection, and I connect to it using an IP rather than a DNS name, so DNS spoofing wouldn't affect me. That doesn't make it infallible, but if my IP got redirected, I certainly wouldn't connect to the same service on the same port by random chance, so I'd know something was up when I couldn't connect to it. Once connected, all of my Internet traffic goes out from my home connection, as if my device was actually on my home network. It works from anywhere, and all of my traffic is encrypted between my device and my home router.

I don't have to trust anyone with my data but myself...

[anon(9607753)]

Does anyone ever remember their phone has a power off button when stuff like this happens? Lol. It's like a rat stuck in a maze. Stick your head up and find the way out the easy way instead of crawling and staring at blank walls.

[Alecsandrv]

Honestly. if you don't take care about what apps you install or which browser you use this happens. It's the same with PCs and how people use them.

I would factory reset it.

+1

[thurask]

I don't get most of this stuff at home on WiFi, probably because I have a DNS-level ad blocker.

[MyBlackBerryMyPriv]

True. I just switched back to Passport.

I'm tired of hard reset. I bought a phone for daily usage. Not daily reset lol

Posted via CB10

[Vic Daval]

True. I just switched back to Passport.

I'm tired of hard reset. I bought a phone for daily usage. Not daily reset lol

Posted via CB10

lol . Sometimes we get too obsessive with security. but somebody that knowledge this should explain a little bit more. I don't use any security app, I thought that a blackberry device doesn't need. Which one is the best one to be safe?

[G_Unit MVP]

That's why I made my peace with loosing access to some apps on my BB10 and avoid having to deal with this crap in my phone. I mean, there is enough risks that we have to deal with on our computers, who needs this stress on their phone too?

[G_Unit MVP]

Honestly. if you don't take care about what apps you install or which browser you use this happens. It's the same with PCs and how people use them.

I would factory reset it.

Yes, but someone could guess installing apps from the official Google store will be secure. An according to those screen caps this "virus" or "malware" or whathever it was is asking to install an app from the official store...

In my opinion, a store with hundreds of thousands of apps is always a mess.

[ALToronto]

Yes, but someone could guess installing apps from the official Google store will be secure. An according to those screen caps this "virus" or "malware" or whathever it was is asking to install an app from the official store...

In my opinion, a store with hundreds of thousands of apps is always a mess.

There is nothing in those messages to indicate that the malware would be installed from Google Play. The scammers put the Google logo in the message to make it appear legit.

I suspect that if you were to try to install this malware, DTEK would block it, especially if you have checked the 'install apps only from GPS' box

[G_Unit MVP]

There is nothing in those messages to indicate that the malware would be installed from Google Play. The scammers put the Google logo in the message to make it appear legit.

I'm not saying that the malware came from Google Play. I'm just pointing the fact that they are asking to install "Applock for free on Google Play!", even when Google is not directly responsible, one will feel more comfortable installing apps from a more manageable store, with less loads and loads of useless apps, and more control from Google on developer's practices.

[buwee]

That's why I made my peace with loosing access to some apps on my BB10 and avoid having to deal with this crap in my phone. I mean, there is enough risks that we have to deal with on our computers, who needs this stress on their phone too?

I love my Passport SE too...it became my all time favorite phone but unfortunately without the app support it has become a door stop for me. I'm still sad to see a great O/S die but life moves on I guess...