Avast, a prominent name in the cybersecurity industry, has acknowledged an error in its antivirus Software Development Kit (SDK) that resulted in the misidentification of the Google Android app on specific Chinese smartphones. The issue led to the incorrect classification of the Google Quick Search Box app launcher as malware.
Avast’s SDK plays a crucial role in powering the Huawei Optimizer app, which includes the antivirus component. The security firm recognized that its SDK was incorrectly flagging the Google Quick Search Box as malware on Huawei phones. However, this problem was primarily observed on Huawei devices outside of China, with a limited number of Honor and Vivo devices also affected. Avast took prompt action to address this issue, implementing a fix on October 30th, which fully resolved the situation.
This incident triggered reports from users on various forums and social media platforms, particularly those who owned Chinese-manufactured smartphones. They encountered a puzzling warning message indicating that the Google Android app was malicious and should be removed.
According to these reports, several Huawei, Honor, and Vivo smartphones and tablets displayed a “security threat” alert, identifying the Google app as “TrojanSMS-PA.” The warning further detailed that the app was secretly sending SMS messages and could potentially lead to property damage and privacy breaches, advising users to uninstall it immediately.
Google swiftly responded to this situation, emphasizing that it was not responsible for the warnings. Instead, the search giant recommended that affected users discuss the issue with their device vendors to seek resolution.
This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges in the dynamic field of mobile security, highlighting the potential consequences of false positives generated by antivirus software. Avast’s swift action in resolving the issue and clarifying the mistake is commendable, as it prevented undue alarm and inconvenience for smartphone users.
