Google’s Android Bouncer guards against unruly apps – malware in Android Market down by 40%
The amount of apps in the Android Market is ever-growing. However, this massive growth in the apps also means more malware. With the threat of malware and viruses threatening devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or the Motorola RAZR, Google developed the Android Bouncer, which has made malware in the app offering drop by 40%.
How does Bouncer work? It scans existing and new apps for trojans and spyware. It also monitors the actions of developers. If it finds anything suspicious, it kicks out offenders and prevents them from returning. Furthermore, it tests apps on how they run on devices. If a threat is detected, it scans the market again to see if it exists in other apps.
Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP of engineering at Android, said, “While it’s not possible to prevent bad people from building malware, the most important measurement is whether those bad applications are being installed from Android Market — and we know the rate is declining significantly.”
This means that, although there are still threats present, Android Bouncer makes sure that we do not regret downloading a new app on our Android devices.
Since there is still a lot of ground to cover, take every possible precaution to prevent threats from infecting your device. Only download apps with good reviews, and don’t download anything brand new. Furthermore, take note of the permissions requested by the app. If it asks for permission to access personal data, then it’s likely to be malware.
For added protection, you can also install security software on your Android device.
Happy Google has developed the Android Bouncer to protect you from malware, or do you think Google should tighten its grip on the Android Market? Give us your thoughts.
