Google is launching a new pilot program to help Android phone users avoid getting scammed for their money and personal information. The company will soon be testing a new feature for enhanced fraud protection through Google Play Protect.
Although Google made app downloads safer through Play Protect real-time scanning last year, the company says scammers frequently employ social engineering tactics to persuade Android phone users to bypass these security measures themselves and put their finances and personal information at risk.
Google says cybercriminals use various tactics to convince Android phone users to “disable security safeguards and ignore proactive warnings for potential malware, scams, and phishing.” Through these methods, cybercriminals can then obtain security codes, passwords, and financial information with relative ease.
A new anti-fraud security feature will be tested in Singapore
According to Google, 95% of malware installations on Android phones come from Internet-sideloading sources, such as messaging apps, file managers, and web browsers.
To combat this issue, Google announced that it has once again partnered with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) to launch a pilot program for a new anti-fraud system in the coming weeks.
Google's new system “will analyze and automatically block the installation of apps that may use sensitive runtime permissions frequently abused for financial fraud.” This will happen every time the user attempts to install an app from an Internet-sideloading source.
The system will look if a sideloaded app requests four runtime permissions that are often abused to run scams: RECEIVE_SMS, READ_SMS, BIND_Notifications, and Accessibility.
During the pilot program in Singapore, the system will block any sideloaded app that declares any of these four permissions. Users will see a message informing them that Play Protect has automatically blocked the app's installation.
The search engine giant hasn't revealed when the anti-fraud pilot program will end in Singapore or when Android phone users in other markets might benefit from this new system. We'll keep you posted.
