Google is currently testing a new feature designed to protect users from fraud and scams. The announcement was made during the Google for India event on October 3. This new feature will prevent the sideloading of certain apps as part of an "enhanced fraud protection" within Google Play Protect. Sideloading enables users to install apps on their Android phones outside of the official Google Play store. Google is gradually tightening its policies regarding this practice, not only in India but also in other regions.
Last October, Google introduced a real-time scanning protection feature in India to combat the sideloading of malicious apps. In February, the company rolled out enhanced fraud protection in Singapore, which reportedly helped prevent 900,000 high-risk installations in the Southeast Asian country within six months.
What types of apps will be blocked?
The pilot program announced during the India event will not completely eliminate sideloading in the country. Users will still be able to install offline apps and utilise third-party app stores, as far as we know.
Google will analyse and automatically block sideloading through the phone’s web browser, any messaging app (Android or otherwise), and any file manager if the particular app requests sensitive permissions, such as access to SMS, notifications, and accessibility features. These permissions often enable fraudsters to steal one-time passwords, financial credentials, and other sensitive data.
The enhanced protection will "inspect the permissions the app declared in real-time and specifically look for permission requests that are frequently abused by fraudsters to intercept one-time passwords via SMS or notifications, as well as spy on screen content."
After the pilot program is implemented, Play Protect will automatically block such installations and provide an explanation.
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