Google to Ramp Up Android Security With New Features for App Developers

Google has introduced a number of new measures aimed toward combating malicious apps, fraudulent and misleading apps on the Play Store. The firm additionally says it’ll make it simpler for builders to submit apps utilizing pre-review checks, whereas enhancing the Play Integrity API to stopping the unfold of dangerous apps exterior the corporate’s app retailer. Google says it’ll additionally increase its dwell menace detection characteristic to establish functions designed to impersonate monetary apps, and introduce new badges to offer validation for particular app classes on the Play Store.

Google to Expand, Enhance Play Integrity API for More Users

The firm states that it’s going to strengthen the Play Integrity API, which is used to guard customers from malicious apps put in from third occasion sources, and builders from modified apps designed for fraud and information theft. Google can be engaged on instruments that builders can utilise to immediate customers to replace their app or take away an unofficial, modified model of their Android utility.

Google Play Protect dwell menace detection is being expanded to establish malicious functions that masquerade as reputable monetary apps. Meanwhile, the corporate can be bringing Enhanced Financial Fraud Protection to extra areas, after testing it in nations like Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Developers will quickly have entry to much more pre-review checks earlier than submitting their utility for evaluation, in response to Google. Currently, builders examine if their app itemizing consists of privateness coverage hyperlinks and different necessities, which might expedite the method of getting their app reviewed by Google. Developers will even see notifications about sure insurance policies whereas coding in Android Studio.

Over the previous yr, the corporate launched two “badges” for sure apps on the Play Store. Official authorities apps and safety focussed VPN apps get further validation, by way of “Government” and “Verified” badges, respectively. Google says extra badges shall be added sooner or later, to cowl further app classes.

Google claims that its safety measures (together with AI-powered menace detection) and stricter enforcement of privateness insurance policies helped it block 2.36 million apps that will have violated insurance policies on the Play Store. The agency says that it discovered over 50 instances extra Android malware from third occasion sources (which incorporates sideloading) in comparison with the Play Store, as per its newest evaluation, highlighting the dangers of putting in Android apps from unknown sources.