Google Blocks 1.75 Million Malicious Apps from Play Store in 2025


Google prevented 1.75 million malicious apps from reaching the Google Play Store in 2025. AI-powered systems caught policy violators during review. This includes malware, fraud apps, and data abusers before they hit users.

The company banned 80,000 bad developer accounts too. Repeat offenders lost access completely. Each app now faces over 10,000 automated and manual checks.

Generative AI now scans submissions alongside humans. It spots hidden malware, odd permissions, and fraud patterns fast. Pre-review blocks stop many bad apps early.

Play Protect scanned 350 billion apps daily. It caught 27 million malicious installs outside Play Store. Enhanced fraud tools reached 185 markets and 2.8 billion devices.

Google blocked 255,000 apps from grabbing excess user data. Anti-spam caught 160 million fake reviews. Family protections hide gambling and dating apps from kids.

Security Tools Table

ToolPurpose2025 Impact
Play Policy InsightsReal-time policy checksFlags risky code pre-submit
Pre-review ConsoleCompliance scansBlocks credential leaks
Play Integrity APIDevice/app verification20B daily checks vs fraud
Developer VerificationAccount validationCut fake publishers
Android 16 APIsUI protectionStops tapjacking attacks

New tools help developers build safe apps from start. Play Integrity uses hardware signals. It detects tampering while keeping privacy.

Sideloading attempts dropped 266 million risky installs. High-risk apps numbered 872,000 mostly for financial scams.

Google aims to make bad apps unviable. Legit developers get compliance help early. Official 2025 report

Key Achievements

  • 1.75M apps blocked at review.
  • 80K developer bans.
  • 27M malicious sideloads stopped.
  • 160M fake reviews removed.
  • Fraud protection on 2.8B devices.

Android security blends AI detection, developer tools, and real-time scans. Teams collaborate to raise the bar yearly.

FAQ

How many apps did Google block?

1.75 million during Play Store review in 2025.

What caught fake developers?

Account verification and AI pattern matching banned 80,000.

Play Protect daily scans?

350 billion apps across Play and sideloaded sources.

What do new Android 16 APIs fix?

Tapjacking and overlay attacks stealing credentials.

Where to read full report?

Google Security Blog

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