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Google’s Bouncer will boost Android security
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Google is adding a layer of security to its Android operating system with a security feature that is codenamed Bouncer.
You get the idea, Bouncer stops undesirables getting in, and for Google it's an important product. It will add security by scanning apps in the Android Market app store and will be put in front of both new and existing releases.
"Bouncer [provides] automated scanning of Android Market for potentially malicious software without disrupting the user experience of Android Market or requiring developers to go through an application approval process," said Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's VP of engineering for Android.
"The service performs a set of analyses on new applications, applications already in Android Market, and developer accounts."
Lockheimer said that when applications are loaded into the store they will immediately be scanned for problems, like malware, spyware or trojans and unusual behaviour, and run in the cloud so that they can be studied.
"While it's not possible to prevent bad people from building malware, the most important measurement is whether those bad applications are being installed from Android Market - and we know the rate is declining significantly," he added.
The rate is declining at Google, and increasing elsewhere, according to the blog post, and Lockheimer said that this is because Google has been using Bouncer for some time. Since it has been on the Google door, so to speak, the number of "potentially-malicious downloads" from the Android Market has decreased by 40 per cent.
"No security approach is foolproof, and added scrutiny can often lead to important improvements," he added. "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." µ
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Bouncer has reduced the number of downloads of potentially malicious software by 40%. That number really has nothing to with the number of malicious apps on the market. A single app could be responsible for the remaining 60% of downloads.
And then there's also the problem of what you define as malicious behaviour. Is downloading large amounts of data malicious? Is it reading some of your phone's details and sending them to the web? Is sending premium SMS? Or turning your phone into a zombie. And how do you discern apps that are actually supposed to do such things from the bad guys? There may very well be valid reasons to remotely access your phone.
"It has reduced the amount of potentially malicious apps on the market by 40%"
Thereby it's missed 60% of potentially malicious apps on the market!
@Nya,
"So it catches 40% of malware"
Nope.
It has reduced the amount of potentially malicious apps on the market by 40%.
The two are not the same..
So it catches 40% of malware. That leaves a blinkin' huge 60% it's still letting through! What is it? a Norton product or something!