Google is cracking down on malicious applications in its Play Store. The tech giant has recently banned nearly 173,000 developers from its platform for trying to get their software published using fraudulent methods. This is part of its larger plan to ensure safety and security of its users.
In addition to blocking these developers, the company has also taken stringent action against those spreading malware and spying tools under the guise of renowned applications. It is also monitoring app developers from certain countries, such as India, China, Russia, and some other Asian and African countries, as well as the United States, and suspending their accounts if found guilty. Moreover, it has blocked apps with names that are similar to government-related utility and services applications.
Google estimates that it has blocked over $2 billion from fraudulent and abusive dealings. It has also issued stringent rules for developers whose apps access sensitive data and share it with servers, which goes against the privacy rules of the internet juggernaut.
In order to ensure the safety of its users, Google launched the App Security Improvements program between January and December 2022. This program helped developers fix over 500,000 vulnerabilities in 300,000 apps that had over 253 billion installs.
Overall, Google is taking steps to protect its users from malicious applications. It is banning fraudulent developers, blocking apps with names similar to government-related utility and services applications, and issuing stringent rules for developers whose apps access sensitive data. Furthermore, it has launched the App Security Improvements program to help developers fix vulnerabilities in their apps.