[Miscellaneous Android Development] Ryuuske01:
Hello there,

so this is my first time I am actually posting a guide ( sort of…this is more like a story of my journey)

*Hope that i followed all the rules regards posting here

I got to this point because of a virus that affects the MTK chipsets.

I am using the Lava IRIS 88s (for work purposes) and that thing got a nice little virus, which is exploiting MTK-SU - the user diplomatic stumbled upon this ( thread is here: LINK ).

Read more about the Virus:

XDA Post about the rootkit which the Virus uses: https://www.xda-developers.com/mediatek-su-rootkit-exploit/

The virus could not be gotten rid of even with a normal Factory reset. It just returned as if nothing ever happened, under different names.

Antiviruses didn’t pick it up always, believe me I tried basically all of them. The most information from the antiviruses gave me actually Dr.Web Antivirus – which lead me to suspect the Typany Keyboard and Lava Touchpal.

So since I had flashed custom ROM’s before, I wanted to do that to this phone.

As a lazy guy, I started searching for already made custom ROM’s which surprisingly was hard for IRIS 88s.

After a while of digging I found some Stock and custom firmware, but they required to get passwords to extract them. After asking for the passwords and since I am an impatient guy also – I started digging around how to make my own custom rom. Adb, Kitchen, Fastboot, MTKtools, SP Flashtool, WWR and much more that I tried and researched.

So here is thanks to the people whose shared knowledge led me to this point.

diplomatic– MTK-SU, Temporary root

demkantor– Fastboot

Jrummy – root browser

topjohnwu – Magisk, Magisk Manager app

Team Vanced - awsome work!

And a very very large thanks to:

Hovatek- I got a lot of useful information and guides from their videos. Very special thanks!!

So here it goes:

I recommend watching these 2 videos by Hovatek:

1. How to use wwr v2.51 + SP flash tool to backup Mediatek rom

2. How To Use SP Flash Tool (Full Guide)

What I had:

1.	Windows 10 x64

2.	2x MTK Phone: Lava Iris 88s (MT6739 chipset) - 2018 was mine and 2019 was my friends.

3.	Spare time and a really annoying virus as motivation

How I did things:

1.	Watched a lot of videos and read through too many guides.

2.	A lot of trial and error with a lot of programs until I got to stay with the below.

3.	Downloaded the latest version of SP Flash tool

4.	Downloaded Wwr_MTK tool

5.	Downloaded and installed Notepad++

6.	Downloaded and installed Auto Mediatek USB VCOM Drivers

7.	Created a backup of my friend’s phone (same model but 2019 software)

8.	Played around a lot until I got the ROM I wanted.

So my recommendation would be to do the same .

But if you are lazy like me then just download and extract the files and just flash them.

2018 STOCK ROM: Lava_iris_88s_2_16_S207_WOC_18F08

2019 STOCK ROM: Lava_iris_88s_2_16_S215_WOC_19F24

CLEANED & ROOTED ( Chrome browser): Lava_iris_88s_2_16_S215_WOC_19F24

CLEANED & ROOTED ( Brave browser): Lava_iris_88s_2_16_S215_WOC_19F24

MODIFIED & ROOTED ( Chrome browser + Maps GO, Gmail GO): Lava_iris_88s_2_16_S215_WOC_19F24

Here is the list of APPS for the Go version:

Android Accessibilty Suite

Calculator

Calendar

Chrome

Clock

Contacts

Drive

Files by Google – instead of the usual File Manager, helps clean up junk files also.

Gallery

Gboard – Google Keyboard

Gmail GO

Google Play Services

Google Play Store

Maps GO

Messages

Music

MusicFX

Phone

Poco Launcher

Settings

SIM Tool Kit

Video Player

Vanced Manager

Youtube Vanced

WhatsApp

BOOT.IMG ( ROOT - Magisk patch v20.4.7)

BOOT.IMG ( NON-ROOT)

*If you want ROOT or NO-ROOT - just change the boot.img for the one you want (and install Magisk Manager App to manage root).

Password for the files: Alrighty

Also download additionally the latest versions of: SP Flash Tool, Notepad++, Wwr_MTK tool , Auto Mediatek USB VCOM Drivers

The procedure:

1.	Open SP Flash tool and select the scatter file from the extracted ROM folder.

2.	Set it to FIRMWARE UPGRADE and make sure all boxes are ticked.

3.	Click Download and connect your phone (Be sure to have at least 50% battery and the phone is switched OFF before connecting !!)

4.	Wait for it to finish.

5.	Now boot your phone into Recovery - Volume UP + Power, then select Recovery, then Hold down Power button and push Volume up – a new screen will load.

6.	Clear Cache and then Wipe/Factory reset.

7.	Select Reboot

8.	Have fun

Changes made in the ROM:

1.	Removed Bloatware (a lot of apps I didn’t need like: LavaCare, Typany Keyboard, Touchpal, Aries/Launcher3, Google Play Movies/Music, …)

2.	Added apps I thought I would need or want – POCO Launcher, WhatsApp, Youtube Vanced ( With Manager and MicroG), Gboard ( Google keyboard), Brave browser ( It blocks Ad’s very well) / Chrome browser ( if you want that instead).

All of this has been my experience and what I can share with you.

But be warned, I am not responsible if this bricks your phone or does what ever it is not supposed to do. I took the risk as well like you are about to do - just that my little experiment worked for me .

Regards,

Ryuuske01

* Currently using the GoAPPS version on my 2018 and my friends 2019 model.

So far so good - phones seem to be more responsive than previously

PS: if this worked for you as well, do hit the Thanks button so that others can also see.

PPS: Even with this ROM it is still susceptible to MTK-SU, need a newer Security patch which is after March 2020, But Lava doesn’t care to update it. Even the 2018 Model always said it’s Up to date with 5th May 2018 patch while the 2019 model has 5th May 2019 patch. They don’t really want to push updates it seems.

As for troubleshooting I can not really share much insight currently.

Here is what i know:

1. If you can not do a readback because the phone is not recognized:

Reboot PC

2. If it gets stuck in a bootloop or a black screen when trying to add Gmail account.

Flash the ROM again but instead of FIRMWARE UPGRADE choose DOWNLOAD ONLY.

Clear Cache, Wipe data/Factory reset.

* Still stuck in a bootloop? Try again FIRMWARE UPGRADE ( I did brick it twice and changing those got it back running).

3. If the flasing has an issue at the end?

Flash the clean rom for your version and then the modified one but unselect the USER DATA.

PS: I flashed those roms more than 4 times each on either 2018 and 2019 model.

Currently using the 2019 based Go Apps version on my 2018 phone.