Does messaging app in lollipop 5.1.1 contain an assistant?

[Mic_Daum_AC]

Hi,

after upgrading to lollipop 5.1.1 my Xperia Z3 comapct shows something like an assistant when I start the messaging app, that I have never seen in the versions before.

Background: because of the stagefright bug i am very cautious when it comes to read/open SMS/MMS. So I was taken by surprise when I received an SMS/MMS last weekend and could not read/open it because when I start the messaging app im redirected to some kind of assistent (in fullscreen). I have never observed this behaviour of the messaging app before. So I was unsure what to do and did not push the "first steps" button. Instead I called my provider and Sony support and they all suspected that what I see is not a Sony assistent but some kind of malware that had infected my phone. Sony hotliners recommended a backup of my personal data and afterwards a reset to factory settings. But that had no effect. After reset the messaging app shows the same "assistant" after start. So additionally I used Sony PC Companion software (module "Support Zone") to repair my phone. It took about an hour but the result is the same. Still that assistant pops up after starting messaging app. I have no chance to see the list of received messages or get into the settings of the messaging app, the only thing I can do is push the "first steps" button of that "assistant".

So either there is an assistant within the messaging app of lollipop 5.1.1 hat shows up once after start and the Sony hotliners don't know anything about it or I really have some sophisticated malware on my phone that survived a reset to factory settings and a softare repair by PC Companion.

Does anybody know something about it?

Regards

Michael

[Phy]

Boot on safe mode and check if you experience the same issue.

How to boot on safe mode on Lolipop
1. press and hold the power key
2. once you get the pop up menu 
3. press and hold "power off" 
4. Boot on safe mode should become available

[Mic_Daum_AC]

Hi Phy,

thx for your reply. Booting in safe mode doesn't help. The messaging app shows same behaviour. When I start it, I end up in the "assistant". Maybe it helps when I describe what I see:

It's a picture or photo (fullscreen) showing two persons sitting at a table. In the upper left corner is sitting a man, to the lower right is sitting a woman. There are some tablets, phones and papers lying on the table. Mid top shows the Icon of the Messaging app. Just below is the word "Messaging" in bigger letters, below it the german text "Nachrichten versenden und Medien leicht an Ihre Freunde freigeben". Lower mid shows a blue button (rectangle) with the white text "Erste Schritte" (first steps). And bottom mid another text "Noch besseres Messaging mit neuen Stickern". I am from Germany and the language of the system is set to german so the german text is correct.

The picture or assistant shows up immediately after starting the messaging app. I cant get into the settings or see the list of retrieved SMS/MMS. I can only push the blue button or exit the messaging app. I dont know whats going to happen when i push the button, because if its not a Sony assistant then things might get even worse.

And something else: I tried a few Antivirus apps from google play store, they all found nothing suspicious in the system.

Any ideas?

Regards

Michael

[Uliwooly]

Could you take a screenshot?

[Mic_Daum_AC]

Hello uliwooly, I took a screenshot and searched on google for it. Google found it here: http://alinopoor.persiangig.com/Z3-lolli/Screenshot_2015-02-27-20-51-48.jpg It can be accessed from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/app-z3-phonebook-dialer-coversation-t3125557 Its the version with english text. I get the same picture with german text only on my phone. Now I guess it seems to be a vaild assisstant/introduction of the messaging app which has to be run once after starting messaging for the first time (after upgrading to 5.1.1). Interesting is that I have never run into it on older android version when I received SMS. Also two of my colleagues don't know it. But most interesting is the fact that even two Sony hotliners on german hotline don't know it and suspect it to be some kind of malware although I described it in detail. Regards Michael

[Uliwooly]

@Mic_Daum_AC

That's rather odd, have you sideloaded the app or does your phone has a faulty SIM card or does it has a SIM card at all? 

[Mic_Daum_AC]

Hello uliwooly,

yes my phone has a SIM card and I doubt that its defect. And I haven't rooted my phone. I only installed some additional apps from official google play store and updates for the system that were automatically downloaded by the phone. I haven't made any changes to the system apps. I don't even know exactly how to do it, I only found out that I can not uninstall the messaging app in a conventional way.

So it seems that this isn't the original messaging app on my phone that it should be? Seems the phone was infected with some malware when I used chrome to surf the internet. But antivirus apps don't find any malicious software when scanning the system. Maybe they are mislead as the malware is already active.

The question is then how to get rid of it again as it survived a reset to factory settings and a repair by PC companion.

What else can I do to find out if this is the correct messaging app or a faked one?

I still haven't pressed the first steps button on that "assistant" as I am still not sure what is going to happen afterwards.

Regards

Michael

[Uliwooly]

@Mic_Daum_AC

What you could do is uninstall the messaging app since you have root access, or just repair the phone once more with PCC and do NOT install anything, if that doesn't help what if you install a different messaging app and disable this app? try google messenger.

@Thommo

Any suggestions?

[Thommo]

This is a new one on me however reading XDA this sounds like the app or addon called Conversation, Check Settings then Apps then swipe to All and look for it and if you see it and you also see messaging then see if you can disable the 1st app mentioned but if you don't see messaging then leave alone - There is also a program called Debloater which could freeze the app and render it invisible and unable to be used

[Mic_Daum_AC]

Hello Thommo,

I searched for "Conversation" app in applications. It's not there. I only find Messaging, Messaging-Service and Messaging-Extension

under apps --> all.

So I am getting quite nervous now, because it seems i don't have the original messaging app on my phone anymore but some other app that looks similar. And I don't have any idea how it got there and why it survives a reset and repair.

Where does that messaging app hide (the path) on the system? I would like to make some checksum of that app and compare this to the checksum of a correct messaging app of the lollipop 5.1.1 system.

Regards,

Michael