Facebook messenger "is it you...." virus on Android

[dogshome]

I installed Whatsapp messenger on my tablet as my wife likes to use it to share things. I try and avoid it and Facebook and it's annoying messenger. So when a 'messenger' alert popped up on my 'phone from someone I knew, I assumed it was legit. It wasn't. I only clicked once on the Android Facebook banner and did not click anything else and it has made a proper mess of my Wileyfox phone.

Hitting the power button as soon as I saw something unusual preserved Google and other online things from damage, but the phone.......   

So a factory reset did not get rid as it still tried to encrypt everything (even though I'd deleted it) and required not only a complete Android image, but repartitioning the Linux based flash memory. ADB, the Android standard tool could not fix it, so I've rooted it, installed TWRP and have almost got a working OS. Almost.

Very nasty and unrecoverable for most - I have not succeeded yet and have some history with reflashing various phones over 10 years on and off. I was running Android 8 (quite old) and am fairly sure I had AVG in the background and of course daily Google security updates.


It's probably time for a new one, but I hate scrapping working hardware that is doing a job 

[Justin B.]

Man, that sux...

[dogshome]

Lineage OS with Open GAPPS up and working. Original Wileyfox ROMS I can find do not want to go in. Oh well, I'm on Android 10 now with a future upgrade to 11. Original was 8. 

If you break your phone, TWRPS is still the best way to fix it. Lots of info on web, but also lots of rubbish. XDA Developers is consistently good for guidance over the 10? years I've been messing with phones.