Boot Speed (in chinese letters)

[sherifsaleh]

Hi,
I got Samsung S4 from family member. However, I noted strange behaviour on the phone and I am worried this is a virus or malware.
Everytime I update an app, a message appear on the task bar in chinese under the title of the updated app. When I press on this message, it opens pate with title Boot Speed and including all the apps on the phone.
The phone was originally on AT&T network but has been unlocked in Egypt.
Can this be virus or malware and is it safe to use my gmail account on this phone.
Thanks.

 

[ironass]

Hi,
I got Samsung S4 from family member. However, I noted strange behaviour on the phone and I am worried this is a virus or malware.
Everytime I update an app, a message appear on the task bar in chinese under the title of the updated app. When I press on this message, it opens pate with title Boot Speed and including all the apps on the phone.
The phone was originally on AT&T network but has been unlocked in Egypt.
Can this be virus or malware and is it safe to use my gmail account on this phone.
Thanks.

Hello and welcome to Android Forums sherifsaleh

Could you post your Galaxy S4 model and your exact Firmware details as per #1.2 and #1.3 of 29 Galaxy S4 models - know yours?

 

[sherifsaleh]

Thanks Ironass,
Model is SAMSUNG-SGH-i337
Firmware details are
AP:I337UCUEMK2
CP:I337UCUEMK2
CSC:I337ATTEMK2

 

[ironass]

Thanks Ironass,
Model is SAMSUNG-SGH-i337
Firmware details are
AP:I337UCUEMK2
CP:I337UCUEMK2
CSC:I337ATTEMK2

That is the stock firmware for AT&T model SGH-i337 although, I feel that there should be a much later Lollipop release than that available for your phone. It is difficult for me to say as AT&T firmware is not released through Samsung. This leads me to believe that as well as being unlocked, your phone has, at some time, been rooted and this would account for the lack of updates OTA, (Over The Air), and that the Boost Speed you are seeing is either an app or a mod that has been installed. Try downloading Root Checker, free from the Play Store, and see if this indicates whether you may be rooted.

 

[sherifsaleh]

Thanks again.
I have checked with Root Checker and the results showed
"Root Access: Yes"
I take that the device is rooted, am I right?
What does this means and can this be the cause of the chinese letters app (Boot Speed) which appears whenever an app is updated or installed?
Is my device vulnerable and my data is not safe?

 

[sherifsaleh]

Actually, I found an app already on the device called Superuser (Rooted) and it has chinese letters.
What will happen if I unistall this?

 

[ironass]

Your choices are...

1. Leave it rooted and on the firmware you are on.

2. Unroot and flash a stock AT&T firmware and eventually update to Lollipop.

For more details of rooting and flashing, see (AT&T) Galaxy S4 - All Things Root Guide and if you have any further queries, you can post in the Root - Samsung Galaxy S4 section of the forum, where you will find other rooted AT&T users.

 

[sherifsaleh]

Many thanks ironass, you have been very helpful to me.