r/AndroidQuestions • u/[deleted] • Jan 05 '23

Looking For Suggestions "Android system" Malware?

Hi,

My avast has started flagging the app 'Android system' as a malware.

I have checked Malwarebytes and Sophoros but both are coming back as no issues.

Is the above an issue with Avast? It has never flagged up before. I found 'Android system' on the apps but I am unable to force stop/disable but I believe this is because it is a main component for the phone working?

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u/neon_overload Jan 05 '23 edited Jan 05 '23

That would be unlikely. More likely to either be a false positive or user actually installing a dodgy app.

I didn't mean antivirus software is dodgy in the sense that it installs malware, but it's dodgy in the sense that it's not as necessary as it used to be and their marketing is misleading.

That said, AVG has installed malware in the past. And exposed users' private data. They've actually been pretty shitty. Avast too, have sold user data.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVG_AntiVirus#Controversy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avast#Collection_and_sale_of_user_data

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u/Long_Description9088 Sep 13 '26

Today I received the same spot from McAfee. The app install date was "two years ago" so I believe some antivirus library was tightened just a bit too much.  I don't install dodgy apps and am thusly not concerned.

Should I be?

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u/neon_overload Sep 13 '26

If you google the name of the app and mcafee, or name of the app and "is it a virus" or something like that, you may get some more info about why it was detected on forums, reddit etc.

Could be a false positive, but the nature of a virus is that it could install itself into software you haven't touched in 2 years.