Google is taking a significant step to eliminate the risk of downloading viruses from the Google Play Store. Malicious apps often bypass Google's security checks and inject malware or enable the download of more malware-infected content. Despite Google's efforts to remove these dangerous apps from the Play Store and ban related developer accounts, cybercriminals manage to create new accounts and submit the same malicious apps under different names.
To address this issue, Google is implementing a change that will make it more difficult for hackers to infect downloaded apps. Under the new change, developers will be required to have a valid D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) number to submit new apps. The D-U-N-S number is issued by Dun & Bradstreet, a data and business analytics firm. Acquiring this number involves submitting specific documents for verification, which can take up to 30 days. This delay can be a significant inconvenience for app developers who rely on their apps to generate revenue from the Play Store.
The implementation of this change is set to begin on August 31st, and all new Android developers will need to provide a valid D-U-N-S number when creating their accounts. Existing developers will also need to update and verify their accounts. More information about these changes can be found in a blog post on Google's Android Developer Blog. However, even with these measures from Google, users still need to remain cautious and vigilant about such apps.
It's important for users to be aware that there are other risky ways to download apps. Hackers can target unsuspecting Android users by using sideloaded apps. To ensure security, it is advised to avoid sideloading apps on Android devices and only download apps from official app stores such as the Play Store, Amazon App Store, App Store, and Samsung Galaxy Store.