Google takes a stand against harmful Android apps.

The Game-changing impact of real-time app scanning

With Android's new real-time app scanning feature, malicious sideloaded apps will be detected in real-time.

Announced in October, the new Google Play Protect is an Android security system that utilises a real-time code analysis to prevent the installation of potentially hazardous apps. This new feature effectively blocks any ad-disguised hazardous programs from being installed on an Android device.

This consists of a code analysis that will “extract important signals from the app and send them to the Play Protect backend infrastructure for a code-level evaluation.”

This feature serves as a vital safeguard against sideloaded applications that employ different methods to avoid detection, like changing their appearance or utilising artificial intelligence to manipulate their code.

The latest update suggests that apps that have not been scanned previously should be subjected to real-time analysis. This process entails a comprehensive inspection of the code, during which crucial indicators are extracted and forwarded to the backend infrastructure of Play Protect for assessment.

A growing need for enhanced security measures

Have you ever downloaded an Android app that wasn't quite what you expected?

One of the key reasons for Google to introduce this app is to counter the proliferation of predatory loan apps. Android’s app store has billions of apps that Google screens for malware, though not always successfully.

An example is “sideloading”, which remains a popular option for many Android users who decide to bypass the official app store. Unfortunately, this habit poses the danger of putting one’s faith in the apps they opt to download.

Earlier, in 2018, Google published yearly security reports highlighting how many apps are potentially harmful. While detailed statistics about the danger from sideloading are not currently available, those reports suggest that downloads outside the Google Play Store pose a higher risk of malware. Specifically, with the Google Play Store, about .04 percent of downloads were PHAs (potentially harmful apps) while non-store sources came in at .92 percent.

Take note: with the empowered malware prevention systems on Google Play, not having that extra protection can result in malware hitchhiking onto your device. Thus, downloading outside the Google Play Store has a significantly larger inflicted risk- tightened surroundings notified.

Initially, Google is introducing this feature in India - a country that ranked highest in the 2018 report for distributing malware-. The company has assured that this feature will gradually extend to all other regions within the upcoming months.

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