Several Samsung smartphone users have received a strange alert from Google, warning them of… Samsung applications. Specifically, Messages and Wallet are surprisingly considered malware by the Play Store Protection service. The Korean manufacturer has confirmed that this is a bug.
Since malware abounds on Android, Google set up the Play Protect service a few years ago, a sort of antivirus that detects suspicious applications and encourages the user to uninstall them. The application thus scans the smartphone for possible threats, even within native applications present by default on the device. Which can lead to rather funny situations.
For several days, several Samsung smartphone users have received an alert from Google Play Protect, informing them that a threat has made its way onto the system. Problem: the threats in question are none other than Samsung applications. Indeed, the antivirus suddenly considers that Samsung Wallet, and in some cases Samsung Messages, are now malware to be uninstalled urgently.
Don’t panic, Samsung Wallet is not malware
The service thus declares to have detected an application “threatening”, Samsung Wallet in most cases, which it accuses of collecting personal data, such as SMS, call history, photos and other audio recordings. Faced with the mass publication of puzzled messages on its support forums, Samsung ended up reassuring the crowds by explaining that it was a bug on Google’s side.
“The phenomenon of a device being marked as a harmful app with a pop-up window indicating that there is a device security issue when using the Samsung Messages app has been confirmed. caused by a temporary failure of Google’s server. The application has been restored and can be used normally.”
So here is how to resolve the problem if you are a victim:
- Open them Settings on your Samsung smartphone
- Go to the section Application
- Tap the context menu (the three dots) at the top right of your screen
- Select Reset preferences then on Reset
Source : 9to5Google
