Google Successfully Blocked 1.2 Million Dangerous Apps On Play Store

Ilustrasi Play Store (Obi - @Pixel6propix / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Google is aware that its Play Store service is often infiltrated by applications that endanger users. Because of this, the company managed to block 1.2 million apps that violated its rules.

The tech giant has a way of protecting users from malicious apps and developers on the Play Store by introducing several privacy-focused features last year.

This is to increase protection against malicious apps and developers and improve SDK data security.

In addition, the company is continuously improving its machine learning system and review process, helping it block 1.2 million privacy-infringing apps from being published on the Play Store.

The company's efforts to combat malicious and spammy app developers have also resulted in more than 190,000 accounts being blocked by 2021, and closing 500,000 inactive developer accounts.

"In addition, Google Play Protect continuously scans the billions of apps installed every day on billions of devices to keep people safe from malware and unwanted software", Google said in its official blog post.

Malware has long been a problem in the Play Store. The latest example, reported by the Wall Street Journal, was linked to a United States (US) defense contractor and impacted a Muslim prayer app with more than 10 million downloads.

Compared to Apple, Google sometimes has a more lax approach to checking application submissions, making users more dependent on Android antivirus services.

However, over time, companies have become more aggressive in getting rid of bad actors. Google detailed the progress it has made in preventing developers from releasing apps that would harm users.

"As a result of new platform protections and policies, developer collaboration and education, 98 percent of apps that migrated to Android 11 or higher have reduced access to sensitive APIs and user data", Google said.

In fact, Pixel phone users are also getting special treatment from Google, including a new Security Hub that offers a centralized way to manage security on Android.

Lastly, Google is also introducing a new machine learning model to help improve malware and ransomware detection on Pixel devices.