[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] insomniacno1:
Hi all, when I bought the Lenovo A916 phone from www.lightinthebox.com it came with spyware included in the Stock Rom(which had been modified by 3rd party), impossible to get rid of unless you root the phone, because its located in system files.

Beware, if you do a factory reset the spyware will be back! Also, do NOT use your phone for banking or anything else with passwords, before you have removed the spyware since it contains a keylogger!

You can flash it with new Rom(also known as Firmware) or a clean Stock(original) Rom - that will remove the spyware. You have to be rooted for this to work.

Right now my phone has A916_S1205_141013 rom - below there is a link to this Rom - its multilingual - I have not yet had the time to try it myself and don't know if its clean.

http://firmwarefile.com/lenovo-a916

I have removed all the spyware, after I rooted my phone, and its working as it should - But as I said earlier, the spyware will return if I do factory reset.

If you bought this phone on the net like most of us, then I suggest that you install the following and scan for spyware. Take note, that the spyware is

not

from Lenovo!

Avast, Avira, ESET, 360 security, Malwarebytes - use all of them, since there are always something one don't find but the other one will.

Be aware that something can go wrong, and I'm not responsible for you trying this out.

The best way to root is Kingo root. But first, attach your phone to your PC/laptop(make its connected to the internet) and on the phone choose MTP, now the phone will install drivere for its first use - this is important!

Then you click the icon in the notification area in windows, to dissconnect usb devices and dissconnect your phone. Wait a few min, - then re-connect and this time (on he phone) choose the last option which say something like "Virtual CD". If autorun is enabled on your pc, you will then get an option to browse this virtual CD - do so!

Copy the content of the virtual CD to a new folder on your pc, then run and install LenovoUsbDriver_autorun_1.0.12.exe - this is important. Don't bother with the other things there since its in chinese.

Then get Kingo root from here:

http://www.kingoapp.com/android-root.htm

Click to download it from CNET, be aware that it might get caught by your antivirus - not that it contains virus, but because its used to root phones. If it got to you pc safely, then run it and it will download the real rooting software - make sure to say NO/Decline/uncheck to any offer that comes up(like install Yahoo). Stupid and annoying way CNET try to impose their stuff onto people.

Now, the real software has been downloaded(android_root.exe) - run it and follow the guide. There are also a guide on Kingo root's webpage.

After you have rooted your phone, run the antivirus Apps again, this time you will be able to remove some but not all of the spyware. Make a list of those you can't remove - then go to the superuser app you can remove the software that contains spyware and cannot be cleaned otherwise. Be careful what you remove.

I found spyware in these and removed with the supeuser app

Trojan.Agent.mq in /system/app/CallerID.apk

PUP.Adware.ShinyMob.a in /mnt/sdcard/funweather.apk

Backdoor.Ginmaster in /system/app/Weatherservice_K517_u002_20140910.apk

Trojan.Fadeb.a in /system/app/Twitter_qd_3025.apk

Do NOT remove the ThemeCenter app!! Its used its used by the system to set wallpaper. If it has spyware then you can remove it and replace it with the one in this post:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=63651753&postcount=42

Good luck!

JBJ

Moderator, please don't remove any of this - Its super important!

If someone has suggestion or tips to this thread then please PM me an I can insert it with credit in the 1st post!