As online frauds and scams continue to proliferate across India, Google has announced plans for a major change in the country to combat the issue. The plan includes blocking the sideloading of certain apps that users try to download directly from the internet. This initiative, revealed at the annual Google for India event, is part of Google’s efforts to enhance fraud protection within Google Play Protect.
Sideloading, the practice of users loading apps on their Android phones outside of the official Google Play app store, has posed challenges for Google in the country and beyond. The recent move signifies Google’s gradual tightening of policies around sideloading, not limited to India but expanding to other regions.
Last October, Google introduced a real-time scanning protection feature in India to prevent the sideloading of malicious apps. Despite some predatory loan apps bypassing this protection, Google has been proactive in tackling the issue. In February, a similar enhanced fraud protection was deployed in Singapore, resulting in the prevention of 900,000 high-risk installations within six months.
The latest pilot program announced in India focuses on automatically blocking sideloading through various channels if the app requests sensitive permissions. This includes inspections of permissions in real-time, particularly scrutiny of permissions frequently abused by fraudsters to steal sensitive data.
After the pilot launch, Google’s Play Protect will automatically block installations that raise security concerns, providing users with clear explanations.
Google’s focus on specific sideloading scenarios stems from the analysis of major fraud malware families exploiting sensitive permissions, where over 95% of suspicious installations originate. The company did not specify the timeline or regions for the feature’s rollout when queried.
Google highlights its existing fraud protection efforts in India, saving over $1.55 billion from financial scams since last year and issuing 41 million warnings for fraudulent transactions on Google Pay to Indian users. Despite these measures, fraudsters still manage to deceive the system and target vulnerable individuals.
Alongside technological updates, Google has been collaborating with industry partners in India to combat financial scams. Initiatives like DigiKavach and partnerships with government agencies demonstrate Google’s commitment to addressing the issue at multiple levels.
In response to the critical situation, Google intends to establish a Google Safety Engineering Center in India by 2025. This new center will focus on enhancing security and online safety products, collaborating with local experts and organizations to tackle online safety challenges effectively.
