Google closes all loopholes for financial criminals.
Google is expanding the capabilities of Google Play Protect and is launching a pilot program to strengthen fraud protection in India. The new security feature will block app downloads from third-party sources, bypassing Google Play.
As part of the pilot program, it is planned to analyze applications and automatically block their installation in cases where they request access to sensitive permissions that are often used by fraudsters. In particular, we are talking about permissions to access SMS, notifications and Accessibility. Such accesses allow you to intercept one-time passwords from SMS or notifications, as well as monitor the content of the screen.
According to Google, more than 95% of app installs that exploit such permissions come from third-party sources. After the pilot program is launched, if a user in India tries to install an app with one of these permissions, Google Play Protect will automatically block the installation and explain the reason for the blocking.
It is worth noting that in India, users will be allowed to download applications directly from the Internet, through a file manager or third-party app stores, however, if such an application requests access to the listed features, its installation will be terminated.
Block the installation of the Google Play Protect app
According to Google, India's existing online fraud protection has prevented more than $1.55 billion in financial fraud over the past year, and 41 million fraudulent transaction warnings have been sent to Google Pay users in the country.
In addition, Play Protect on Android devices has helped identify 10 million malicious apps worldwide. The program is already operating in Singapore, Thailand and Brazil, blocking about 900,000 dangerous installations in Singapore alone.
The launch of the program will begin in November and will be gradually rolled out to all Android devices with Google Play services in India. Google emphasizes that creating a safe mobile environment requires a collaborative effort, and the company is actively collaborating with government agencies and industry partners to strengthen user protection.
App developers are encouraged to review requested permissions and follow security best practices to avoid being blocked as part of the pilot program.
Source
Google is expanding the capabilities of Google Play Protect and is launching a pilot program to strengthen fraud protection in India. The new security feature will block app downloads from third-party sources, bypassing Google Play.
As part of the pilot program, it is planned to analyze applications and automatically block their installation in cases where they request access to sensitive permissions that are often used by fraudsters. In particular, we are talking about permissions to access SMS, notifications and Accessibility. Such accesses allow you to intercept one-time passwords from SMS or notifications, as well as monitor the content of the screen.
According to Google, more than 95% of app installs that exploit such permissions come from third-party sources. After the pilot program is launched, if a user in India tries to install an app with one of these permissions, Google Play Protect will automatically block the installation and explain the reason for the blocking.
It is worth noting that in India, users will be allowed to download applications directly from the Internet, through a file manager or third-party app stores, however, if such an application requests access to the listed features, its installation will be terminated.
Block the installation of the Google Play Protect app
According to Google, India's existing online fraud protection has prevented more than $1.55 billion in financial fraud over the past year, and 41 million fraudulent transaction warnings have been sent to Google Pay users in the country.
In addition, Play Protect on Android devices has helped identify 10 million malicious apps worldwide. The program is already operating in Singapore, Thailand and Brazil, blocking about 900,000 dangerous installations in Singapore alone.
The launch of the program will begin in November and will be gradually rolled out to all Android devices with Google Play services in India. Google emphasizes that creating a safe mobile environment requires a collaborative effort, and the company is actively collaborating with government agencies and industry partners to strengthen user protection.
App developers are encouraged to review requested permissions and follow security best practices to avoid being blocked as part of the pilot program.
Source
