Chrome May Soon Scan APK Downloads for Malware, Enhancing Android Security
Google Chrome is introducing a new security feature for Android users that will scan APK files for malware after downloading. This feature is in the testing stage in Chrome Canary (Chrome Canary, the experimental version of Chrome used for testing new features). It will help users avoid installing potentially dangerous apps.
Chrome will scan APK files after download
Currently, Google’s Play Protect primarily scans apps that are pre-installed or downloaded from the Play Store. but after this new feature of Chrome, whenever a user downloads an APK from a third-party website, Chrome will scan it itself and warn the user if any malware or other dangerous elements are found.
Google recently added a feature to reduce warnings on APK downloads in Chrome, so that users do not see messages like “File might be harmful” repeatedly. Now, this new feature will provide even stronger security, so that users do not have to take unnecessary risks while installing third-party APKs.
How will this new feature work?
A flag of this feature has been made available in Chrome Canary, named “Malicious APK download check”. On activating it, Chrome will scan the downloaded APK files and display a warning if any malware is detected.
This feature will also have a “Telemetry-only mode,” which will collect data from users with Enhanced Protection enabled. This data will help Google refine and improve the accuracy of APK scanning over time. At present, this feature is not fully working, but it can be rolled out to all users soon.
What will be the benefit?
Android users often download APKs from different websites, but many times they may contain malware or viruses, which can harm the device or steal personal information. This new feature will make it easier to make sideloaded apps secure, allowing users to install third-party apps without any worries.
Will it replace Play Protect?
Until now, Play Protect was responsible for scanning all apps installed on the device. With this new update, Chrome will introduce its own scanning mechanism specifically for APK files downloaded through the browser, adding an extra layer of security. However, Play Protect will still work in the background and provide additional security.
Google has not yet revealed the official release date of this feature, but its arrival in Chrome Canary indicates that it may be added to the stable version soon. Until it is fully rolled out, users should keep Play Protect on and download apps only from trusted sources.
This new feature of Google Chrome will give Android users more security while downloading third-party APKs. This change will further strengthen the digital security of users and help avoid malware. Soon this feature may be available to all users, making Android devices more secure.
