Android will soon continually scan for malicious apps even after installation

Google just made some announcements about how it’s beefing up security on Android. In a post on the Official Android blog, Android Security Engineer Rich Cannings announced Google is introducing improvements to how the “Verify apps” process works. While Android already scans apps at the time of installation, even ones outside of Google Play, it will soon continually scan devices to keep an eye on apps that after installation. 

Building on Verify apps, which already protects people when they’re installing apps outside of Google Play at the time of installation, we’re rolling out a new enhancement which will now continually check devices to make sure that all apps are behaving in a safe manner, even after installation.

In the last year, the foundation of this service—Verify apps—has been used more than 4 billion times to check apps at the time of install. This enhancement will take that protection even further, using Android’s powerful app scanning system developed by the Android security and Safe Browsing teams.

Google notes that you’re not likely to see one of the new Verify app warnings, as not a large percentage of apps get past the initial scan at the time of installation. It says “fewer than 0.18% of installs in the last year occurred after someone received a warning that the app was potentially harmful.”