Google tightens app store rules for developers to enhance Android app security, integrity, and quality.

In an effort to enhance Android app security, integrity, and quality, Google notified Android developers on Friday that this is revising its Google Play Developer Program Policies to discourage abusive practices. The corporate has given developers offering apps through Google Play 15 days to revise apps that fail to fulfill its requirements.

More oversight must be beneficial. The collection of malicious Android apps available in the course of the Google Play grew 388% from 2011 to 2013, the protection firm RiskIQ said in February. In this period, the proportion of malicious apps removed by Google annually declined from 60% in 2011 to 23% in 2013.

All new apps submitted to Google Play are subject to Google’s new policy. Developers with apps found to violate the foundations might receive a warning to mend the difficulty, or they may have their noncompliant apps far from Google Play.

The changes are as follows:

1. Sexual content clarification
Previously, Google’s rules said that Google Play doesn’t allow sexuality explicit material. The revision focuses not just on apps that contain sexually explicit material, but in addition apps that put it on the market. Furthermore, Google notes that its rules cover icons and product descriptions in Google Play.

2. No deceptive promotion
Developers won’t use deceptive ads on websites, apps, or elsewhere, “including simulated system, service, or app notifications or alerts.” They won’t use promotion or installation tactics that cause redirection to Google Play or initiate an app download without informed user consent. And so they won’t engage in unsolicited promotion via SMS services.

3. In-app payment disclosure
In-app payments had been a source of controversy for both Android and iOS devices. In January, Apple and the FTC announced a $32.5 million settlement to finish a lawsuit over kids making unauthorized in-app purchases. In March, Google was hit with the same claim from an aggrieved parent. The Google Play policy changes seek making sure that app makers disclose possible charges when app descriptions mention features subject to in-app fees.

4. System interference clarification
Google previously banned adding content partner links to a user’s homescreen and bookmarks. The revised rules expand this prohibition to forbid modifying settings or bookmarks.

5. Ads policy clarification
Amplifying its prohibition on deceptive app promotion and UI elements masquerading as system notifications, Google requires that “all advertising behavior should be properly attributed to, or clearly presented in context with the app it came in conjunction with.” In other words, users ought to be ready to tell which app is presenting each ad.

6. Dangerous products expansion
Google has extended its rules to ban, not just the transmission of malware, but additionally the inclusion of links that cause malware. The corporate has also updated its spyware policy to hide surveillance and tracking apps.

Google maintains that the openness of Android is a safety strength. “A frequently forgotten good thing about openness is security: by developing within the open, anyone can check Android’s code to substantiate that it’s trustworthy or discover areas where it’s improved,” Google security engineer Adrian Ludwig wrote in a December blog post. “Furthermore, the safety community will even write code to make Android stronger and protect it against unrealized attacks.”

Next-gen intrusion-prevention systems have fuller visibility into applications and knowledge. But do newer firewalls make IPS redundant? Also inside the IPS Makeover issue of Dark Reading Tech Digest: Discover what our 2013 Strategic Security Survey respondents say about IPS and firewalls (free registration required).

Thomas Claburn was writing about business and technology since 1996, for publications corresponding to New Architect, PC Computing, InformationWeek, Salon, Wired, and Ziff Davis Smart Business. Before that, he worked in film and tv, having earned a not particularly useful … View Full Bio

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