Stagefright Android Bug...who knows anything about this??

[gnuyork]

I got a message from my phone yesterday or the day before about this Stagefright bug. I google it, and it looks like it's pretty serious. I downloaded the recommended app (from Lookout) to detect if my phone is vulnerable to this particular bug, and the app told me that it is. I then take the recommended steps to curb the bug.

It appears the bug is activated in a download in your default SMS app (for me this Messaging). The temp fix is to go into your default SMS app and turn off the auto download. And to not click download on suspicious texts. I did these steps...HOWEVER...

I was texting with friend today how he missed out on our 4 day bachelor party (because he was on vacation with his wife) and I get a message to download something from him. I think maybe they are some vacation photos so I click it. Nothing happens. The message goes away. I check my downloads folder....nothing. The message reappears, and I think I just messed it up somehow. I click it again...again, nothing happens. Check downloads folder...nothing. I then ask my friend if he texted me something to download...He said no. The message goes away and reappears for a third time. This time I ignore it.

Yesterday I took the recommended steps to not auto download stuff, but I had no idea that they could appear within a chat with an existing known friend. When I google this Stagefright bug, all the pages say what steps to do to avoid it (turning off auto download, etc.) but none really describe what you are supposed to do if you've already been hit by it (not even sure that's my case but it seems likely), or what to really expect.

I chatted my phone provider (Motorola) and asked them for advice, which they gave and was exactly what i read on the web (turn off the auto download), but after I explained that I think it already happened they had me go into boot mode on my phone and erase cache. None of this means beans to me, so if anybody else has any insight, I'm all ears (or eyes -ha!).

Thanks

[Nokie]

Good to know. Thanks for posting.

[Broker]

Do you suspect you've been hit or was this precautionary?

[gnuyork]

Do you suspect you've been hit or was this precautionary?

I suspect that I was hit... by clicking on the download link within my friend's text that he did not send me ...twice...

What I'd like to know is by clearing the phone's system cache if I have corrected any potential problems...

[Seriously]

Its not a bug that can be downloaded or caught per se, it's a hole, a vulnerability, a way in to your phone operating system (OS) by hacker's, that will be closed when the manufacturer releases a rewrite/fix to the OS.

It's akin to leaving your back (or front) door open each night (and day)


Until that time you need to turn off auto retrieve MMS in the app hangouts and also the same in your SMS app via settings..... (up to the point of you switching this off, stuff was pre-downloaded before you read it.)




and also not downloading any MMS messages from unknown senders. (But you do that anyway don't you?...... Don't you ?)



..... As I understand it

[Broker]

That's how I understand it. And it's been almost a month since it was found so I assumed they have patched our OS at this point. I know I got an update the other day. And it was very quick

Its not a bug that can be downloaded or caught per se, it's a hole, a vulnerability, a way in to your phone operating system (OS) by hacker's, that will be closed when the manufacturer releases a rewrite/fix to the OS.

It's akin to leaving your back (or front) door open each night (and day)


Until that time you need to turn off auto retrieve MMS in the app hangouts and also the same in your SMS app via settings.....
and also not downloading any MMS messages from unknown senders. (But you do that anyway don't you?...... Don't you ?)



..... As I understand it

[gnuyork]

and also not downloading any MMS messages from unknown senders. (But you do that anyway don't you?...... Don't you ?)



..... As I understand it

Of course not, but there was a link to download within my friend's messages. But he said he didn't send me anything to download....Before he told me that, I clicked to download...nothing happened, and the link went away, then came back, etc...

[gnuyork]

That's how I understand it. And it's been almost a month since it was found so I assumed they have patched our OS at this point. I know I got an update the other day. And it was very quick

no update for me as of yet...

[Broker]

I'm AT&T