Google Play Protect's new tools enhances app security on Android: Details

Google has also expanded Play Protect's "enhanced fraud protection pilot" to more regions including India to protect against financial fraud

Google has announced several new features for Google Play Protect to offer better protection against malicious app behaviour on Android devices. Google said that the company has invested in "sophisticated, real-time defenses" that protect Android smartphone users against abusive apps, even if they have been installed from third-party sources.

 

Google Play Protect: New features

• Play Protect now automatically revokes permissions for potentially harmful apps, restricting their access to sensitive data such as storage, photos, and the camera. Users can manually restore these permissions, but a "confirmation step" has been added for enhanced security.
• Google noted that scammers often trick users into disabling Play Protect during calls to install malicious sideloaded apps. To counter this, the Play Protect app scanning toggle is now temporarily disabled during phone and video calls, including those made through third-party calling apps.
• Google Play Protect's "enhanced fraud protection pilot" is expanding to additional regions, including India, Brazil, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam. Developed in collaboration with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), this initiative analyses and automatically blocks the installation of apps that frequently exploit sensitive permissions for financial fraud. The feature also applies when users attempt to install apps from sideloading sources such as web browsers, messaging apps, or file managers.
• For users with Play Protect disabled, the Chrome web browser will now display a notification prompting them to re-enable it.
• Additionally, Google has introduced a "Verified" badge for consumer-facing VPN apps that prioritise user privacy and security.