Google Play Protect now scans for app downloads in real time

Android is currently the most open operating system available. In contrast to iOS, which allows for very little non-Apple sanctioned modification, Android users can do practically anything to their phone – for better or worse — with a little fiddling. One method users might take advantage of their smartphone's openness is by sideloading applications from sources other than the Google Play Store, which can be risky regardless of if you're as cautious as they come with technology. Malware comes in different kinds and sizes, therefore Google has finally rolled out an improved version of Google Play Protect, which we indicated was in the works last month.

For many years, Google Play Protect has been active on Android devices as a passive precaution against malware on any device that has Google Play Services installed. If you've ever downloaded an APK from an unknown source, for example, Google will warn you that it is possibly hazardous, giving you an additional second to reconsider your actions. Google Play Protect may even automatically block the installation and erase the APK file from your device, depending on your phone settings.

Google claims to have created additional security features to help secure your phone even further, including real-time scanning "at the code-level" to battle fraudulent apps that might do significant harm to your data or, worse, your phone. Previously, Google maintained an ever-expanding app list on its servers, which it would then cross-check against what users attempted to install, and based on whether it was known or not, it would generate the pre-installation prompt we are all familiar with today. It will now be possible to check the app's code to discover new cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Essentially, it means that you will be more protected from cyber thieves when downloading programs from sources other than the Play Store.

According to Google, scanning apps in real time extracts "important signals from the app and sends them to the Play Protect backend infrastructure for a code-level evaluation." It is not expected to take long and will be done quickly. Each time an app across the whole Android ecosystem is examined, Google's list of things it checks for expands, allowing a big user base to be leveraged into even greater security.

In terms of deployment, the new version of Play Protect will begin in India before spreading to the rest of the world in the coming months. We had anticipated seeing it in September. It's wonderful to hear that, after what appears to be a slight delay, the new security measure is now making its way throughout the world.