Google blocked 2.3 million malicious Android apps on the Play Store in 2024.
Last year, Google banned 2.3 million app submissions to the Play Storefor violating its policies. These apps were deemed potentially dangerous to users.
Additionally, 158,000 developer accounts were banned for attempting to publish harmful applications, such as malware and spyware.
Compared to 2023 and 2022, more potentially malicious apps were blocked, which is partly attributed to artificial intelligence assisting human reviews.
See also: Google Play: SpyLoan malware found in apps with 8 million downloads
" Today, over 92% of human reviews for harmful apps are assisted by AI. This allows us to take faster and more accurate actions to prevent harmful apps from being made available on Google Play ," Google explained
In addition to rejections and blocks, Google says it has also blocked 1.3 million apps from receiving excessive permissions to access sensitive user data.
Google Play Protect, Android's built-in security system, received significant upgrades in 2024 to be able to protect users in real-time from malicious apps, scams, and apps installed outside the Play Store.
Google says the system scanned over 200 billion apps daily, performing live code-level analysis. During 2024, these scans detected over 13 million new malicious apps (malware) originating from sources outside of Google Play.
See also: Google Play Protect will allow you to download apps from other sources
App developers also had new tools at their disposal to better protect their apps from malicious SDKs and abuse. At the same time, the Google Play SDK index expanded significantly last year to add another 80 trusted SDKs.
Additionally, increased adoption of the Play Integrity API has seen an 80% reduction in abuse from untrusted sources. 91% of app installs now use security features available in Android 13 and above.
Despite the measures Google has taken to block malicious apps, users must always be vigilant because security gaps remain and cybercriminals are using new, more advanced methods to infiltrate the Play Store.
Protection from malicious applications
Although Google Play has defense mechanisms, some malicious apps manage to sneak into the store. For this reason, users should always verify the authenticity of an app before installing it. This can be done reviews user.
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Additionally, users can visit the official website of a service and find the link there to download the application from the app store.
See also: Google Play: Researchers identify 200 malicious apps with 8 million downloads
It's also important to check the permissions that apps request, even if they're on Google Play. If an app asks for access to personal information that doesn't seem necessary for it to function, it's best to avoid installing it.
It is also essential to use reliable security software and regularly update the operating system and applications. Finally, users should avoid sharing their personal information with untrusted sources.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
