Google reveals Bouncer security for Android Market
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It turns out that Google’s confidence wasn’t just bravado, they actually have been working behind the scenes to make the Android Market more secure, without incurring the prolonged app testing times (and expense) that other app stores with higher walls suffer. The result of their work was revealed today in a service they are calling Bouncer.
Bouncer is basically an app-crawler that scans all the apps in the Android Market, including every new submission. It checks for known trojans and malware, much like a security app on your phone might, while also analyzing how apps run in a virtual machine, to try and ferret out new threats. Finally, Bouncer also tracks developer account behavior, so repeated offenders are caught when they open a new account to cause havoc with.
And apparently Bouncer is, erm, bouncing a lot of malware successfully. Google reports a 40% decrease in the number of “potentially-malicious” downloads from the market between the first and second half of 2011. Considering the 250% increase in user activations in 2011, that’s quite a decline.
Google also trumpeted other security features of Android, which include judicious use of sand-boxing to prevent malware from accessing data it doesn’t have permission to, the permission system itself, which lets users apply common sense when the “hawt-ladyz” app they are contemplating says it needs permission to send SMS, and the fact that Android is designed so that malware can’t make changes to the OS itself – which means all you have to do to clean an infected phone is remove the offending app.
How good will Bouncer be? Time will tell. We’re sure this won’t be the end of malware on Android (or any other mobile platform), but it’s a good step in the right direction.
source: Google via Droid-Life
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22 Comments
1. theBankRobber posted on 02 Feb 2012, 16:05 6
Glad to hear this kind of news, others just live sad little lives and just want to mess it up for everyone else.
17. ledbetterp3 posted on 02 Feb 2012, 22:46 1
That's exactly how I feel about those people...
2. GALAXY-S posted on 02 Feb 2012, 16:16 4
Great job google!!
ive never been worried about any malware on my phone.. if i download a an that makes my phone act a lil dif, then all i do is uninstall.. BAM issure resolved!
13. G2Noobin posted on 02 Feb 2012, 21:22 1
Bam...totally agree some apps totally do that i find yahoo mail make my system a bit slow but i need it....
Also you cant blaim the way a pda works today offered by a specific OS whether google, apple, or windows...its part of that Network....or network web...those machines running those OSs to get the optimal usage out of that machine...aka apps, games, you have to be connected to apps and the developers....and its something that is engrained into optimisize a Personal Computing device.
I only have dealt with google because i find my pda should be like my PC and not all bogged down by restrictions....simplicity and freedom and art always trumps complication, restriction, and conformity...in a HEALTHY SOCIETY!#!
3. thephoneguy92 posted on 02 Feb 2012, 16:22 3
Good move by Google. This has been a big concern for all those little-old-lady types who don't know how to read reviews and uninstall apps ;)
4. MorePhonesThanNeeded posted on 02 Feb 2012, 16:43 2
This by far is the greatest strength of mobile OS like android is the way it is sandboxed to keep infections from spreading like wildfire and making removal easy and simple. No need for any Symantec nonsense to remove malware, just uninstall and you are clear. Those anti virus companies are just making up crap to get sales, mobile OS like android and I assume iOS are not built like traditional PC OS's thus usual tactics will not work as well. Gotta love mobile, only time will tell how saavy these nerds get to try an infect mobile OS's in the future. Right now most issues are caused by the owner of the phone downloading shady looking apps to begin with. Google is doing something on their end and you should always protect yourself on your end.
14. G2Noobin posted on 02 Feb 2012, 21:24 1
im just curious as to how so... good comment tho....is it because of linux base???
19. MorePhonesThanNeeded posted on 02 Feb 2012, 23:23 0
Android is more or less permission based and you have to grant permission in order for the app to install and run. The permissions are what keeps you safe from apps just running wild and doing whatever with your phone services. Permissions look as if it's hardwired into Android OS so the app must be given permission, so if you didn't agree to it then the app can't use what it was not permitted to. Sandboxing as Google calls it, to play in that box over there, you need permission from the user to be allowed access to it. Unlike PC OS which doesn't tell you exactly what a program is allowed to access, just grants pretty much full access to your sensitive data unbeknownst to you. So if you didn't read what permissions the app you just downloaded needs and allowed it, you're at fault. The end user has to bear some sort of responsibility to what he downloads on his end.
5. protozeloz posted on 02 Feb 2012, 16:43 1
Exelent! From now on "virus " will become uniformed troll aterial ;) now the "users " that claim virus where the only thing stopping them from trying Android... will you consider it now?
6. gallitoking posted on 02 Feb 2012, 16:44 1
good job Google you just acknowledge something that most fandroids have ignored or believed it didnt exist...
7. Sniggly posted on 02 Feb 2012, 17:09 7
*gives up and walks away, knowing that nothing I say will have an effect*
12. Giggity posted on 02 Feb 2012, 19:30 4
PA really need a bouncer for the likes of you and Miz
18. ledbetterp3 posted on 02 Feb 2012, 22:48 0
Actually, I thought the problem was a lot worse than it is.
20. atheisticemetic posted on 03 Feb 2012, 08:32 0
trollolololololololol
you're right tho apple doesnt need malware on their apps, they just need to submit $1000 dollar "gem apps" (that do nothing) that apple users will be stupid enough to buy
nice try tho
8. Sniggly posted on 02 Feb 2012, 17:11 2
Aaaannnnddd.... once again, when people advocate that Google takes steps to improve an aspect of its business, what does Google do? It listens and does so.
This service sounds exactly like what I wanted Google to implement on Android market.
10. protozeloz posted on 02 Feb 2012, 17:26 0
It could be better tho but glad they are using a method to make the market even more safe. Now even more enterprise might be interested in Android since the market is even more safe.
15. remixfa posted on 02 Feb 2012, 21:27 1
And all without an overlord curating the market or arbitrary rules
16. XiphiasGladius posted on 02 Feb 2012, 21:36 0
Yeah It feels good knowing no one is treating you like a kindergarten on a boot camp.
21. solidsnakeduds013 posted on 03 Feb 2012, 08:47 0
you know whats so funny. I have been reading the comments on the first page and i didn't see not one thumbs down. Make this be an article about Apple and a sea of negative comments would be there. BTW im a fanboy of both IOS and android
