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How Google just quietly made your Android phone more secure


securitybreach

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securitybreach
By now, you've probably heard all about the changes introduced with Google's Android 4.3 release. But those fresh features and bits of polish are only part of the story. One of Google's biggest changes to the Android platform is actually happening outside of the operating system -- and it's affecting almost every Android device in the world.

 

It's the widespread launch of a universal app-scanning system -- a system that watches your device for any new application, even one loaded directly onto the device ("sideloaded") from outside of the Google Play Store, and instantly checks the app for malicious or potentially harmful code............

 

Now, Google has pulled the program out of the OS and made it automatically available to every device running Android 2.3 or higher. That covers almost every phone and tablet out there -- about 95 percent of the actively running products, according to Google's latest platform measurements......

 

http://blogs.compute...ndroid-security

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securitybreach

I believe that it scans both malware and virii. That said, I have seen this happen on apps from the play store as well as sideloaded apps.

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http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/07/25/app-ops-android-4-3s-hidden-app-permission-manager-control-permissions-for-individual-apps/

 

Android 4.3 has a hidden feature! It's called "App Ops" and it lets you selectively disable some permissions for your apps. Is some misbehaving app constantly pinging your location and draining your battery in a few hours? You can fix that now.It's not really ready yet, so Google has hidden it. It seems to work though. If you're feeling adventurous, here's what you do to try it out:

 

Further information from a link in the original article. The comments are interesting. :whistling:

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