technology

Google’s Android ecosystem has been getting a lot of flak since malicious apps were discovered in the Android Market last year. Google had to remotely swipe off these entire app from every user’s phone. Besides the fact that kind of access into my personal phone is a little creepy, this ‘remote swiping’ did not actually offer a solution since Google would find out about these apps only after they had infected user’s phone. Now, Google has announced that they may have finally have the solution to this problem it’s called the ‘Bouncer’. The Bouncer is a server side application which scours the apps that have been submitted to the Market to find out about any malicious activity. This service will not only check for new applications but will also scan pre-existing apps. “Device activations grew 250% year-on-year, and the total number of app downloads from Android Market topped 11 billion,” Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP of engineering, posted on the Google Mobile Blog . “As the platform continues to grow, we’re focused on bringing you the best new features and innovations — including in security.” “ Here’s how it works: once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analyzing it for known malware, spyware and trojans. It also looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags. We also analyze new developer accounts to help prevent malicious and repeat-offending developers from coming back.” Google is basically simulating all the new and old apps on its Cloud infrastructure and seeing if the app is malicious or does anything out of the ordinary. Google is best known for automating things and processes. They have always placed a heavy emphasis on  machine learning and this is quite evident in their search engine. Android also features something called as ‘ sandboxing ’ which does not allow one instance of a running app to interact with other other apps or components on your phone. This same technology is present in their Chrome OS . Here’s a excerpt from the blog which talks about Android’s security features: In addition to using new services to help prevent malware, we designed Android from the beginning to make mobile malware less disruptive. In the PC model, malware has more potential to misuse your information. We learned from this approach, designing Android for Internet-connected devices. Some of Android’s core security features are: Sandboxing : The Android platform uses a technique called “sandboxing” to put virtual walls between applications and other software on the device. So, if you download a malicious application, it can’t access data on other parts of your phone and its potential harm is drastically limited. Permissions : Android provides a permission system to help you understand the capabilities of the apps you install, and manage your own preferences. That way, if you see a game unnecessarily requests permission to send SMS, for example, you don’t need to install it. Malware removal : Android is designed to prevent malware from modifying the platform or hiding from you, so it can be easily removed if your device is affected. Android Market also has the capability of remotely removing malware from your phone or tablet, if required. No security approach is foolproof, and added scrutiny can often lead to important improvements. Our systems are getting better at detecting and eliminating malware every day, and we continue to invite the community to work with us to keep Android safe. Android, as a mobile operating system was considered less safe when compared to Apple’s stringent process of App approval. With Bouncer, Google seems to have killed that fear.  This has been hailed by many as a welcome move for Android and the community of users especially with the Android usage and app consumption rising high in India. Let us see how hackers and malicious coders get around this new security measure. Tell us why in the comments box. Looking For A Social Media Agency?? – Contact WATConsult – India’s Leading Social Media Agency Related Posts If Mobile Apps Shape Who We Are..Indians Mean Business Google Unveils Faster Chrome, Web Store and Chrome OS Pilot Google Looking At India, China For Android Growth Facebook Finally Acknowledges That It Faces Competition: But Who Has Better Advantage Of Them All? BlackBerry Losing Its Grip On The Market Share?