Latest news with #GooglePlayProtect
GSM Arena
15-05-2025
- GSM Arena
Google is making Android 16 significantly more secure and fraud-resistant
Google is implementing new security features and bringing older ones under the Advanced Protection Program with Android 16. The goal is to improve the device's security and protect people from scammers, especially high-risk groups like journalists and high-ranking officials. The best part is that all of the security features are activated once Advanced Protection is activated, which basically requires you to tap on a toggle to turn it on. You don't need to have any sort of expertise in the field. In fact, the enabled security features cannot be turned off easily as that action would require user credentials. Security features that involve apps will be available only to Google apps before expanding to third-party software. With Android 16, users will have access to secure device logs that cannot be edited and can only be accessed by the user. During a call, the system blocks risky actions that are easily exploited by scammers. For instance, you won't be able to turn off Google Play Protect, you cannot install unverified apps from browsers or messaging apps or grant apps permissions to take control of the device's core functionalities. Android 16 will also elevate the security of banking apps. Google is working closely with UK banks for now such as Monzo, NatWest and Revolut. During a screen sharing session, the system would prompt the user to end the call when launching a banking app as this is one of the most common ways for fraudsters to extract sensitive information from users. Google is also leveraging AI to filter out scam and spam messages when using Google's default Messages app. The AI will also spot malicious on-device activity by apps, as some try to hide or change icons. The machine-learning algorithm constantly scans for text or binary patterns to spot potential malware. The new features will coexist with older ones like Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock. Source
Engadget
14-05-2025
- Engadget
Google is improving scam detection and its Find feature on Android
Android 16's new Advanced Protection feature simplifies the task of managing your phone's security settings. (Google) Google is introducing and expanding several new security measures that should make it more difficult for criminals to scam Android users or take advantage of stolen Android phones. After introducing AI features in March that detect fraudulent messages based on common language patterns, Google is working on teaching its models to recognize a wider range of text scams, such as those unpaid road toll scams you've probably seen this year. It's also adding faster pattern analysis to Google Play Protect so it can unmask malicious apps more quickly. In addition, Google is in the process of making it impossible to grant certain accessibility privileges while on a call with an unknown contact. Meanwhile, the new Key Verifier feature prevents scammers from co-opting your known contacts, letting you and a trusted contact swap public encryption keys to confirm each other's identities. With the upcoming release of the Android 16 operating system update, Google will also be adding new ways to protect your phone against thieves. The Identity Check feature requires extra biometric verification to change sensitive settings outside user-designated safe locations. It launched on some Pixel and Galaxy devices in January, but Android 16 will widen the rollout. These upgrades should help protect against "shoulder surfing" device thefts and bank account breaches, in which thieves learn passcodes by watching targets unlock their phones, then steal and unlock the devices themselves. Such attacks have been vexing smartphone owners in bars and other crowded venues for years. New anti-theft features include a security question for deactivating remote locks and more restrictions on what can be done to a device after a factory reset. If a phone running Android 16 is not unlocked or connected to Wi-Fi for a while, the lock screen will hide two-factor authentication codes received through texts. Along with the new security features, Android 16 will centralize security under a single device-level feature called Advanced Protection. While the Advanced Protection switch is active, no feature under its umbrella can be turned off. As a final complement to the Android 16 security updates, Google is expanding its Find My Device feature into Find Hub, a dashboard that can locate basically any object with smart capabilities or a bluetooth tag. Find Hub can use ultra-wide band (UWB) on compatible devices to narrow down more precise locations, and can also communicate via satellite so its features work outside cell range. Update, May 14, 2025, 6:28PM ET: This story has been updated and retitled to reflect that the scam detection and key verifier improvements Google announced during the Android Show presentation are not dependent on upgrading to Android 16. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
See - Sada Elbalad
14-05-2025
- See - Sada Elbalad
Google Unveils Advanced Android Security
Israa Farhan In a strategic move ahead of Google I/O, Google has announced a comprehensive suite of new security and privacy features for Android, designed to safeguard users against rising threats including scams, theft, and unauthorized access. Unveiled at the Android Show on Tuesday, these enhancements span call protection, screen sharing, messaging, app permissions, and device access. The core objective is to shield users from social engineering tactics, ensure data integrity in cases of device theft or compromise, and strengthen on-device defense mechanisms. To counter phone scams, Android 16 introduces real-time intervention tools. These include blocking high-risk actions while users are engaged in calls with unknown numbers. Additionally, Android 6 and above will now prevent users from disabling Google Play Protect during such interactions, ensuring continuous malware scanning. Screen-sharing protections are also being upgraded. Android will now prompt users to stop screen sharing once a call ends. In the UK, Google is piloting fraud prevention warnings with select banks. Devices running Android 11 or newer will display alert screens if a user opens a banking app while screen sharing with an unverified number, offering a one-tap option to halt the session. Google Messages is receiving enhanced AI-powered scam detection, originally launched in March. The updated system now identifies a broader range of fraud scenarios, such as cryptocurrency scams, gift card fraud, billing hoaxes, financial impersonation, and tech support cons. To reinforce secure communications, Google Contacts will soon feature contact verification using QR codes or screen-matching codes. These verified keys confirm end-to-end encryption in Google Messages. If a SIM swap attack occurs and the attacker uses a new device, the recipient will see the verification status marked as unverified. This feature is expected to roll out later this summer for Android 10 and newer. In another critical update, Android 16 will introduce a new security challenge to block unauthorized remote access. Additionally, one-time passwords will remain hidden unless the device is recently unlocked and connected to Wi-Fi. Google Play Protect is also expanding its real-time app detection capabilities. New on-device rules will target apps with deceptive behaviors such as icon manipulation. This live protection feature will launch in the coming months for Pixel 6 and newer devices. Furthermore, Google's Advanced Protection Mode is receiving upgraded on-device defenses. A new Find My Hub feature will also debut, enabling users to track personal items, friends, and family with greater precision. read more UAE's Lunar Mission Delayed to Tomorrow Twitter Lifts Trump's Account Ban Scientists Find Evidence Of 10،000 Black Holes Surrounding The Center Of The Milky Way Galaxy Greenhouse In Antarctica Able To Grow Vegetables Without Soil Or Sunlight Moving Over China: U.S. Is Again Home to World's Speediest Supercomputer Technology The 10 most expensive cars in the world Technology Top 10 fastest cars in the world Technology Lasers Could Make Computers 1 Million Times Faster Technology Smart technology taking control of our lives News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War
Android Authority
13-05-2025
- Android Authority
Your Android phone will soon warn you about that sketchy app sneakily changing icons
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR Google Play Protect will soon detect when an app changes its icon, and alert users to this behavior. Malicious apps sometimes change their app icon to evade removal, so this should help in a big way. Play Protect is also gaining improved on-device detection of malware. Google Play Protect is one of the first lines of defense against malicious apps on your Android phone. Google recently beefed up this service with real-time scanning protection, and the company has now announced more additions. Google confirmed that Play Protect's live threat detection feature can now detect when an app changes its icon, subsequently alerting users about this behavior. Malicious app developers sometimes change their app icons to make it more difficult for users to remove them. So this will be another welcome layer of defense against sketchy apps. Google says this new capability will be available in the coming months on the Pixel 6 series and newer and a 'selection of new devices from other manufacturers.' This isn't the only addition, as Play Protect also brings enhanced on-device detection capabilities: Google Play Protect now uses a new set of on-device rules to specifically look for text or binary patterns to quickly identify malware families. If an app shows these malicious patterns, we can alert you before you even install it. The company adds that these on-device rules will be 'frequently' updated to protect you from new and emerging types of malware. This feature may have been in the pipeline for a while, as we discovered a rules-based approach to on-device scanning almost a year ago. In any event, Google says this enhanced approach to malware scanning is now available to all Android users with Google Play Services. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Engadget
13-05-2025
- Engadget
Android 16 adds new features for scam detection and device finding
Android 16's new Advanced Protection feature simplifies the task of managing your phone's security settings. (Google) This summer's Android 16 release will add several new and updated security measures that should make it more difficult for criminals to scam Android users or take advantage of stolen Android phones. After introducing AI features in March that detect fraudulent messages based on common language patterns, Google is working on teaching its models to recognize a wider range of text scams, such as those unpaid road toll scams you've probably seen this year. It's also adding faster pattern analysis to Google Play Protect so it can unmask malicious apps more quickly. Starting in Android 16, it will be impossible to grant certain accessibility privileges while on a call with an unknown contact. Meanwhile, the new Key Verifier feature prevents scammers from co-opting your known contacts, letting you and a trusted contact swap public encryption keys to confirm each other's identities. Android 16 also adds new ways to protect your phone against thieves. The Identity Check feature requires extra biometric verification to change sensitive settings outside user-designated safe locations. It launched on some Pixel and Galaxy devices in January, but Android 16 will widen the rollout. These upgrades should help protect against "shoulder surfing" device thefts and bank account breaches, in which thieves learn passcodes by watching targets unlock their phones, then steal and unlock the devices themselves. Such attacks have been vexing smartphone owners in bars and other crowded venues for years. New anti-theft features include a security question for deactivating remote locks and more restrictions on what can be done to a device after a factory reset. If a phone running Android 16 is not unlocked or connected to Wi-Fi for a while, the lock screen will hide two-factor authentication codes received through texts. Along with the new security features, Android 16 will centralize security under a single device-level feature called Advanced Protection. While the Advanced Protection switch is active, no feature under its umbrella can be turned off. As a final complement to the Android 16 security updates, Google is expanding its Find My Device feature into Find Hub, a dashboard that can locate basically any object with smart capabilities or a bluetooth tag. Find Hub can use ultra-wide band (UWB) on compatible devices to narrow down more precise locations, and can also communicate via satellite so its features work outside cell range. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
