In 2021, Google introduced its new Data Safety section for apps listed on its Play Store.
The said feature began appearing on the app listings in April, and on July 20, it became mandatory for all apps that are published on the platform.
Google Play Store's Data Safety Feature
According to GSMArena, Google Play's Data Safety information sections have started showing up on the live app listings on the platform.
Its information window has taken the place of the app permission overview that all apps on the platform used to have.
The sudden change has security experts concerned because every app is usually listed on the Play Store has an overview of the Android OS permissions.
The Android OS permissions ask for certain details from the system, ranging from "Access to Network" to private details like "Access to Contacts," which is the phone's location data or file system.
With the new feature, users who download apps on their phone will no longer see that, according to XDA Developers.
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The list is also traditionally auto-generated by Googly by scanning the developer's app files upon submission to the store. This means that nothing can be omitted and not disclosed to the user intentionally or otherwise.
Meanwhile, the new Data Safety section is populated by the app developer.
Google has an interface in the developer console of its Play Store that lists a wide range of personal and device data types that the developer has to go through and disclose if and how the app is handling them.
Android Malware on Google Play Store
Aside from removing the permission from Google Play Store for apps, Bleeping Computer also reported that Google Play Store had issues with Android malware for days.
The publication reported that the Android malware family on the Google Play Store had secretly subscribed users to premium services and was downloaded over 3 million times.
The said malware named Autolycos was discovered by Evina's security researcher Maxime Ingrao to be in eight Android applications, two of which are still on the Google Play Store.
Bleeping Computer added that there are two apps still available on the platform. One is named "Funny Camera" by Kellytech, which has over 500,000 installations, and "Razer Keyboard and Theme" by rxcheldiolola, which has over 50,000 installations on the Google Play Store.
The remaining six applications have been removed from the Google Play Store, but those who still have them installed risk being charged with expensive subscriptions by the malware's activities.
Vlog Star Video Editor has 1 million downloads, Creative 3D Launcher has 1 million downloads, Wow Beauty Camera has 100,000 downloads, Gif Emoji Keyboard has 100,000 downloads, Freeglow Camera 1.0.0 has 5,000 downloads, and Coco Camera v1.1 has 1,000 downloads.
During an interview with Bleeping Computer, Ingrao said that he discovered the apps in 2021 and reported his findings to Google.
Even though Google acknowledged receiving his report, it took the company six months to remove the set of six, while two malicious apps remain on the Google Play Store to this day.
Since nothing has been done with the remaining malware, Ingrao disclosed the findings publicly.
Related Article: Google Play Store to Follow Apple App's Privacy Labels, App Developers Now Needs To Be Transparent on Data Collection
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Written by Sophie Webster
