Keeping Google Play and Android app ecosystems safe in 2025 (security.googleblog.com)

In 2025, Google announced significant enhancements to the safety of the Android app ecosystem, which actively combats malicious threats and ensures user trust. In response to evolving tactics employed by bad actors, the company achieved notable success by preventing over 1.75 million policy-violating apps from reaching Google Play and banning more than 80,000 harmful developer accounts. These proactive measures, including mandatory pre-review checks and developer verification processes, aim to create a more secure environment for both users and honest developers, effectively discouraging malicious intent. Google’s commitment to user safety is evident through its advanced security measures, such as Google Play Protect, which scans over 350 billion apps daily and identified more than 27 million new malicious apps last year. By bolstering AI-driven defenses and real-time threat detection, Google is not only enhancing protections against malware and fraud but also equipping developers with the necessary tools to build compliant apps. This ongoing evolution of security protocols highlights the importance of collaboration between Google and its developer community, as they work towards maintaining a safe and trusted Android ecosystem for billions of users worldwide.