Google announces new security features for Android for protection against scam and theft

At the Android Show connected Tuesday, up of Google I/O, Google announced caller information and privateness features for Android. These caller features see caller protections for calls, surface sharing, messages, instrumentality access, and system-level permissions. With these features, Google aims to support users from falling for a scam, support their details unafraid successful lawsuit a instrumentality is stolen oregon taken implicit by an attacker, and heighten device-level information for assorted attacks.

Phone scammers often inquire users to instrumentality actions similar tapping connected unsafe links oregon downloading chartless apps. In bid to support users, Google is blocking immoderate actions and informing users of a imaginable scam portion they are connected a telephone with idiosyncratic not successful their interaction list.

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For Android 16, these actions see side-loading an app for the archetypal clip from a web browser, messaging app, oregon different sources that person not been verified by Google, and granting accessibility support to an app truthful that a scammer tin instrumentality power of the device. The institution is besides preventing users moving Android 6 oregon aboriginal from disabling Google Play Protect, which scans the instrumentality for harmful apps portion they are connected a call.

Google is adding screen-sharing extortion arsenic good by reminding users to halt sharing the surface aft a telephone ends.

The institution is besides investigating a caller informing surface with prime banks successful the U.K. to forestall fraud done screen-sharing. When users connected devices moving Android 11 oregon aboriginal unfastened a spouse bank’s app portion sharing the surface portion connected a telephone with an chartless number, the instrumentality volition amusement them a caller informing surface astir a imaginable scam with a fastener to rapidly extremity the surface sharing.

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Messages protection

Google is enhancing extortion against scams successful Google Messages aft launching the diagnostic successful March. The diagnostic uses on-device AI to alert users of a imaginable scam based connected the conversation. The institution is present bolstering idiosyncratic information by having the instrumentality to observe much types of fraud, including crypto, acquisition card, toll road, and different billing fees, fiscal impersonation, and method support.

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What’s more, the institution is adding verification keys to the Google Contacts app, which volition assistance users authenticate that the idiosyncratic connected the different extremity is the intended receiver. Users tin verify their contacts by having them scan a QR codification oregon lucifer numbers displayed connected the screen.

Verified keys mean that your speech with your interaction connected Google Messages is end-to-end encrypted and secured. Google said that if an attacker starts controlling a telephone fig done a SIM swap onslaught and messages you done a caller device, the Google Contacts app volition amusement the verification presumption arsenic unverified. This diagnostic volition beryllium disposable for Google Messages aboriginal this summertime for users moving Android 10 oregon aboriginal versions.

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Theft extortion measures

Earlier this year, Google rolled retired Identity Check extortion to Pixel and Samsung devices with OneUI 7. The diagnostic requires users to usage biometric authentication to alteration captious settings similar changing your instrumentality PIN oregon biometrics, disabling theft protection, oregon accessing Passkeys erstwhile the idiosyncratic is not astatine 1 of the trusted locations they person added. The institution is present making this diagnostic disposable to different instrumentality makers with Android 16.

Later this year, Google volition adhd amended extortion for Factory Reset, restricting each kinds of functions connected the instrumentality that are reset without authorization of the erstwhile fastener pattern/PIN oregon Google relationship credentials. This fundamentally makes a stolen instrumentality hard to use.

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To forestall idiosyncratic from locking your instrumentality remotely, the institution is adding a information situation question to forestall unauthorized access. With Android 16, the institution volition besides fell one-time passwords if the instrumentality is not connected to Wi-Fi and hasn’t been unlocked recently.

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Additional protections

The institution is adding caller features to its Google Play Protect unrecorded detection program arsenic well, by detecting unsafe apps that person hidden oregon changed icons. This diagnostic volition beryllium disposable successful the coming months for users moving Android 6 and aboriginal versions. The institution said it is present applying a caller acceptable of on-device rules to drawback much categories of malicious apps.

Google is adding caller measures to bolster its Advanced Protection Mode, to support nationalist figures with caller on-device features. The institution is besides debuting a caller Find My Hub to support way of items, friends, and family.