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Play Protect Could Let Users Rescan Apps Without Uninstalling Offending Apps (Updated: Rolling Out)
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
Update, December 5, 2024 (11:14 AM ET): Google Play Protect's Rescan button is now rolling out widely to more users. Users will be able to run multiple scans for harmful apps without needing to uninstall harmful apps detected in previous scans.
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
You can see the rescan button in the top right corner, next to the Settings icon.
Original article, July 22, 2024 (09:59 AM ET): Google is working on adding a Rescan button to the Play Store's Play Protect feature. This feature could let users run another scan without uninstalling harmful apps detected in a previous scan. The feature is currently in development, but we've managed to get an early look at it in version 41.9.17 of the Google Play Store.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
Play Protect on the Google Play Store lets you scan your device for potentially harmful apps. If it detects an app that violates Google's Unwanted Software Policy, it alerts you and presents an option to uninstall it.
In its current form, Play Protect forces you to uninstall harmful apps as soon as they're detected and doesn't let you run another scan until you remove the offending app from your device. This behavior can be annoying in cases where it incorrectly labels an app as harmful and doesn't let you scan the remaining apps until you uninstall it.
With the upcoming Rescan button, you will be able to run another scan without uninstalling potentially harmful apps detected in a previous scan. It will be particularly useful for those who install apps from third-party sources that are often mislabeled as harmful.
As mentioned earlier, the Rescan button is not available in the current Google Play Store release. It will likely arrive with a future update, and we'll let you know as soon as it starts rolling out.
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CommentsNew IPhone, Android Warning—Do Not Install These Apps
New government warning for iPhone and Android users
gettyThe latest warning for iPhone and Android users should see millions of apps deleted from phones and millions more not installed in the first place. The nature of this warning isn't new—but this time it comes directly from the U.S. Government. Hopefully this means users will take it more seriously this time.
While the security vulnerabilities with SMS and RCS texting have taken center stage in this month's FBI and CISA warnings, the agencies have also told users to make sure they keep the firmware on their phones updates at all times and to make use of safe browsing, DNS masking and password managers when available.
ForbesFBI Warns Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail Users—Check 3 Things To Stop AttacksBy Zak DoffmanThe final warning hasn't yet generated headlines, but it's just as much of a security vulnerability as open texting across cellular networks. "Do not use a personal virtual private network," the U.S. Government's cyber defense agency warns. "Personal VPNs simply shift residual risks from your internet service provider (ISP) to the VPN provider, often increasing the attack surface."
This is not news. Time and again, cybersecurity experts have warned the same. Last month, Kaspersky warned that the number of dangerous free VPNs installs is now soaring, "increasing by 2.5 times compared to Q2 globally. These apps were malware or programs that could be potentially used by malicious actors. This surge," Kaspersky warns, "has continued into Q4."
And in June, specialist websites Top10VPN just tested the "100 most popular free Android VPN apps in the Google Play Store... With 2.5 billon worldwide installs between them," and found the following issues:
As CISA itself says, "many free and commercial VPN providers have questionable security and privacy policies." While their advice is to avoids such apps unless "your organization requires a VPN client to access its data," I would not go that far.
VPNs are fine to use, and critical in certain situations, such as using public Wi-Fi in completely open or untrusted environments, especially overseas, or when you want to mask your location from the sites you're visiting or anyone monitoring web traffic.
It's only through the use of VPNs that users behind digital curtains in places like Russia, China and Iran can access overseas websites and comms platforms. This is why Apple removing VPNs from its Russian App Store triggered such headlines.
I'll repeat my golden rules for VPN usage here and strongly suggest you follow them:
"There is a growing demand for VPN apps," Kaspersky says. "Users tend to believe that if they find a VPN app in an official store, like Google Play, it is safe and can be used to get content that is originally unavailable at their location. And they think it is even better if this VPN service is free! However, this often ends up being a trap, as recent cases and statistics showing a surge in malicious VPN app encounters prove."
Now the U.S. Government has added its own warning, let's hope users are finally encouraged away from such risks. These free or low-rent apps often have huge numbers of installs. That must now stop.
Google Play Protect
A malware prevention service for Android apps from Google. Play Protect checks apps in Google's Android app store (Google Play) to ensure downloads are malware-free, and it scans the apps within the user's devices as well. See Google Play and Android.
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