Google has released a new security blog post, detailing how the company worked to keep Android and Google Play safe from bad actors during 2024.
According to the company, Google blocked 2.36 million apps from being published because they violated Google Play policies. The company also banned more than 158,000 developer accounts for attempting to publish harmful apps. In addition, Google also stopped 1.3 million apps from gaining excess or unnecessary access to users’ sensitive data.
The company broke down exactly how it managed to accomplish such impressive measures, with AI playing a major role.
To keep out bad actors, we have always used a combination of human security experts and the latest threat-detection technology. In 2024, we used Google’s advanced AI to improve our systems’ ability to proactively identify malware, enabling us to detect and block bad apps more effectively. It also helps us streamline review processes for developers with a proven track record of policy compliance. Today, over 92% of our human reviews for harmful apps are AI-assisted, allowing us to take quicker and more accurate action to help prevent harmful apps from becoming available on Google Play.
Google also worked heavily with developers to less apps’ reliance on sensitive user data.
To protect user privacy, we’re working with developers to reduce unnecessary access to sensitive data. In 2024, we prevented 1.3 million apps from getting excessive or unnecessary access to sensitive user data. We also required apps to be more transparent about how they handle user information by launching new developer requirements and a new “Data deletion” option for apps that support user accounts and data collection. This helps users manage their app data and understand the app’s deletion practices, making it easier for Play users to delete data collected from third-party apps.
We also worked to ensure that apps use the strongest and most up-to-date privacy and security capabilities Android has to offer. Every new version of Android introduces new security and privacy features, and we encourage developers to embrace these advancements as soon as possible. As a result of partnering closely with developers, over 91% of app installs on the Google Play Store now use the latest protections of Android 13 or newer.
Google also touted Google Play’s multi-layered protection features.
To create a trusted experience for everyone on Google Play, we use our SAFE principles as a guide, incorporating multi-layered protections that are always evolving to help keep Google Play safe. These protections start with the developers themselves, who play a crucial role in building secure apps. We provide developers with best-in-class tools, best practices, and on-demand training resources for building safe, high-quality apps. Every app undergoes rigorous review and testing, with only approved apps allowed to appear in the Play Store. Before a user downloads an app from Play, users can explore its user reviews, ratings, and Data safety section on Google Play to help them make an informed decision. And once installed, Google Play Protect, Android’s built-in security protection, helps to shield their Android device by continuously scanning for malicious app behavior.
While the Play Store offers best-in-class security, we know it’s not the only place users download Android apps – so it’s important that we also defend Android users from more generalized mobile threats. To do this in an open ecosystem, we’ve invested in sophisticated, real-time defenses that protect against scams, malware, and abusive apps. These intelligent security measures help to keep users, user data, and devices safe, even if apps are installed from various sources with varying levels of security.
Google Play Protect automatically scans every app on Android devices with Google Play Services, no matter the download source. This built-in protection, enabled by default, provides crucial security against malware and unwanted software. Google Play Protect scans more than 200 billion apps daily and performs real-time scanning at the code-level on novel apps to combat emerging and hidden threats, like polymorphic malware. In 2024, Google Play Protect’s real-time scanning identified more than 13 million new malicious apps from outside Google Play1.
Google’s 2024 Revelations Are Good News for Users
Google’s revelations regarding Google Play and Android security in 2024 is good news for its users. Apple has long been known as the privacy option when it comes to mobile ecosystems. Google, on the other hand, has repeatedly been accused of abusing user privacy.
While it’s certainly reassuring to see how many malicious apps and developers Google successfully blocked, it’s also good to see the company take definitive steps to stop apps from accessing excessive or unnecessary sensitive user data.
As the world’s largest mobile operating system, Android is used by billions of individuals. Unfortunately, the operating system is built and maintained by the world’s largest advertising company, meaning it also serves as a way for Google to make money off of its users via their data and serving them ads.
Seeing Google take measures to improve privacy and limit app access to sensitive data is a win for users—even if the company still has a ways to go before it matches Apple.
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