Security News > 2021 > July > Google Play Protect fails Android security tests once more

Google Play Protect, the Android built-in malware defense system, has failed the real-world tests of antivirus testing lab AV-TEST after detecting just over two thirds out of more than 20,000 malicious apps it was pitted against.

While always running and scanning every app installed and launched on the device, "The endurance test revealed that this service does not provide particularly good security: every other security app offers better protection than Google Play Protect."

During this 5-month long endurance test, Google Play Protect detected a little over two-thirds of nearly 20,000 infected apps the testing lab used as part of three rounds of tests.

"Finishing in last place, Google Play Protect only detected 68.8 percent in the real-time test and 76.6 percent in the test with the reference set."

Google Play Protect also mistakenly detected 70 apps as potentially malicious out of almost 10,000 harmless ones installed by AV-TEST from the Play Store and third-party Android app stores.

Last year, Google Play Protect also scored zero out of six points in Android protection tests but, this time, detecting only 37% of 3,300 newly discovered samples and 33.1% of those from the reference set of 3,300 malware samples.

News URL

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-play-protect-fails-android-security-tests-once-more/