Google Play client might be getting malware scanner

In a tear-down of the recently updated Google Play client for Android devices, Android Police has found the evidence of a possible malware scanner, which might be in pipeline.

Android has often been criticized for the flood of malware apps what make their way to Google Play every day, although most of them are thrown out – thanks to Google’s efforts like Bouncer, some of them still pass though the holes and make their way to the consumer devices.

In order to better combat with the issue, Google seems to be planning to in-built some sort of a malware scanner in the Google Play client itself. The team at AP found the following the tear-down:

<string name=”package_malware_title”>App Check</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_consent_text”>”Allow Google to check all apps installed to this device for harmful behavior?
To learn more, go to Settings > Security.”</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_banner_warning”>Installing this app may harm your device</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_banner_blocked”>Installation has been blocked</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_recommendation_warning”>Google recommends that you do not install this app.</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_recommendation_blocked”>To protect you, Google has blocked the installation of this app.</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_app_name”>App name: “%s”</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_checkbox_label”>I understand that this app may be dangerous.</string>
    <string name=”package_malware_consent_title”>Verify apps?</string>
There seems to be two parts to this malware scanner, one that will check the apps you are downloading from Google Play and alert you if anything looks suspicious and the other one will check the installed apps, when requested.

The blog also found graphical evidence in the form of artwork that might be used in this malware scanner.

There is no word on when we can see, but we hope it is sooner than later.