Are all apps in the Play Store safe? Well, not all of them are. Some are banned, and some are not. These are apps that are malicious, or they have been accused of click fraud. Others are banned for illegal data mining. You can read more about banned apps and how to prevent them from appearing in your Android device’s app drawer. In addition, some apps are banned for being malicious, but still accessible through third-party Android app stores.
Although Google makes every effort to keep the Play Store free from malware and other security threats, the store cannot be trusted completely. Malware is spreading through many different types of apps on the Play Store. While Google has a program called Play Store Protect, attackers can still bypass the app’s scanners. Infected apps can compromise your phone’s data, steal your credit card information, make calls and SMS, or promote phishing campaigns.
As a result, many users are using malicious applications without realizing it. Google has also implemented a human review process since 2016, and deeper app reviews for developers with no previous history with the company. These measures are a start toward making the Play Store a safer place for Android users, but bad actors are becoming more sophisticated and innovative. In fact, malware is so well disguised in apps that they are almost unrecognizable to a human.
