Android basic browser problem and possible exploit

[brianamstutz]

I use the standard default  browser on Android.  Last week I went to a Comcast website to view tv  listings.  Now, when I open my browser it goes to the Comcast website.   My homepage was not reset; it is still www.google.com

Here's how it works first thing in the morning after sitting all night unused:

• I click the Internet icon
• The browser opens and it goes to the Comcast website.
• I click Menu>Windows and see a second window, also Comcast
• I close the second window and go back to the main window.
• I click Menu>Home and go to Google.com

After that I can close and reopen the browser and it shows the last  page I was on as it should.  If I leave the phone alone for a while, it  resets itself so when I open the browser it goes to Comcast.  I never go  to the Comcast website myself.  I went there last week because I was at  a friend's house - I don't use Comcast.  Don't have it bookmarked.

I cleared my cache.  That didn't fix it.

These are the URLs of the two windows that always appear.

Warning - If you go to these websites on your phone it may mess up your Android browser

http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv-listings

http://www.comcast.com/default.cspx#

I scanned my SDCard and didn't find any references to Comcast.  I  don't think they intentionally did this to mess anyone up.  However,  knowing this is possible someone could find this and use it maliciously.

Any ideas?

HTC Evo running Android 2.3.3

[JPSquared]

Hello!

Have you tried clearing the location history?

[brianamstutz]

Yes - cleared cache and history.

[-D4V1D-]

I'm sure I already know the answer, but is comcast set as your home page under browser settings by any chance? I know you said you don't have any bookmarks, just want to make sure we are looking at all possibilities.

Thanks

Dave

[brianamstutz]

It stopped after about a week.  I don't know why, I never solved it or fixed anything.

(As I stated above, it did not reset my homepage - my homepage the whole time was google.com.)

For anyone who's good at these things and wants a challenge, go ahead and go to the xfinity tv listings link above on your phone.  See if it does it to you.  If so, can you figure out why?

As far as I'm concerned:  case closed.

[JPSquared]

I tried it on my Epic and wasn't able to get the same results, but the browser on the Epic is a little different and I'm still on 2.2, so that might be another factor.

If it comes back (or anyone else gets the same issue), let us know!