4 ms·

PlayProtect is not detecting and warning users about CamScanner even when it has been removed from the Playstore. I've tested it via manual scan on PlayProtect

PlayProtect is not detecting and warning users about CamScanner even when it has been removed from the Playstore. I've tested it via manual scan on PlayProtect as well, no dice. Isn't that what it is supposed to do? Has anyone ever got any app flagged by PlayProtect? If it's useless, then rather I would disable it than to give it access to all my installed apps. Google Engineers here, please ping your Google Play team reg PlayProtect. Edit: More detail.

AnssiH 7y ago
Do you have one of the affected versions installed? The versions since July 30th are not affected (according to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20826213 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20826213).
- dblohm7 7y ago
  I did, and no, PlayProtect did nothing.
- hathawsh 7y ago
  I have auto-update turned on, yet I just discovered CamScanner was apparently stuck on an unsafe version from July. Now CamScanner seems to be removed from the play store, yet I had to remove the app manually. Play Protect still thought everything was fine. I have a Google Pixel running stock firmware. I guess it's time for a factory reset.
- Abishek_Muthian 7y ago
  I had paid version installed with auto update and I didn't receive any warning via PlayProtect. Kaspersky blog mentioned that the malware was part of the advertising module; so I assumed it gets activated only on the free version, so I manually scanned using PlayProtect in a mobile with free CamScanner installed. Since both of the instances I've mentioned has auto update, it's likely they were >July 30. But Kaspersky did mention that the latest version was indeed affected.
mtgx 7y ago
Every few months, Google's Android team writes a new blog post patting themselves on the back about how good Android security is thanks to Play Protect and that you almost don't need security patches because Play Protect is that good. And every time I call bullshit on that, but sadly it happens on Android fan forums, so few take it seriously, and instead prefer to cheer on for Google. Play Protect is nothing but an antivirus, and as such it's as good/useless as all the other antiviruses. In other words, it won't catch the vast majority of new malware (because obviously malware creators would first test their malware against Play Protect before launching it into the wild, and release it only if it bypasses the antivirus). It's only really good (if that) at preventing other users from getting infected with malware it already knows about.
GeneralTspoon 7y ago
> Has anyone ever got any app flagged by PlayProtect? I know it famously flags the Apptoide app store (a Google Play rival) as malware[1] [1]: https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/04/aptoide-a-play-store-rival-cries-antitrust-foul-over-google-hiding-its-app/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/04/aptoide-a-play-store-rival...
- mywacaday 7y ago
  I just took a look at Apptoide, why does everything have some sort of coin associated with it. Does anybody else just close the tab as soon as they see any mention of Bitcoin etc?
  - vorpalhex 7y ago
    > Does anybody else just close the tab as soon as they see any mention of Bitcoin etc? Yup. I also usually take the time to ridicule the offenders for being very silly.
wickedsickeune 7y ago
I certainly flags PhoneGap Build apps without a signing certificate. So at least you know that the malicious parties have paid some money to get a cert!
lern_too_spel 7y ago
According to https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/08/28/camscanner-play-store-malware/ https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/08/28/camscanner-play-sto..., if you have an update within the last month, you have a safe version of the app, so it should not be flagged.
Marsymars 7y ago
> Has anyone ever got any app flagged by PlayProtect? Yes, it started flagging all the apps my company distributes internally for testing purposes. Getting it to stop seemed impractical, so my company's guidance is now to disable Play Protect on any test device.
- Abishek_Muthian 7y ago
  Is it certificate issue? Or a phonegap build like another user has said.
  - Marsymars 7y ago
    Not PhoneGap. Been a while since I investigated it and don't have more time to waste on it. shrug
ocdtrekkie 7y ago
Play Protect is not a malware scanner, it's a green check mark designed to lead people to believe they are protected. https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/mobile-devices/ https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/mobile-devices/

AnssiH 7y ago

Do you have one of the affected versions installed? The versions since July 30th are not affected (according to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20826213 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20826213).

dblohm7 7y ago
I did, and no, PlayProtect did nothing.
hathawsh 7y ago
I have auto-update turned on, yet I just discovered CamScanner was apparently stuck on an unsafe version from July. Now CamScanner seems to be removed from the play store, yet I had to remove the app manually. Play Protect still thought everything was fine. I have a Google Pixel running stock firmware. I guess it's time for a factory reset.
Abishek_Muthian 7y ago
I had paid version installed with auto update and I didn't receive any warning via PlayProtect. Kaspersky blog mentioned that the malware was part of the advertising module; so I assumed it gets activated only on the free version, so I manually scanned using PlayProtect in a mobile with free CamScanner installed. Since both of the instances I've mentioned has auto update, it's likely they were >July 30. But Kaspersky did mention that the latest version was indeed affected.

mtgx 7y ago

Every few months, Google's Android team writes a new blog post patting themselves on the back about how good Android security is thanks to Play Protect and that you almost don't need security patches because Play Protect is that good. And every time I call bullshit on that, but sadly it happens on Android fan forums, so few take it seriously, and instead prefer to cheer on for Google. Play Protect is nothing but an antivirus, and as such it's as good/useless as all the other antiviruses. In other words, it won't catch the vast majority of new malware (because obviously malware creators would first test their malware against Play Protect before launching it into the wild, and release it only if it bypasses the antivirus). It's only really good (if that) at preventing other users from getting infected with malware it already knows about.

GeneralTspoon 7y ago

> Has anyone ever got any app flagged by PlayProtect? I know it famously flags the Apptoide app store (a Google Play rival) as malware[1] [1]: https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/04/aptoide-a-play-store-rival-cries-antitrust-foul-over-google-hiding-its-app/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/04/aptoide-a-play-store-rival...

mywacaday 7y ago
I just took a look at Apptoide, why does everything have some sort of coin associated with it. Does anybody else just close the tab as soon as they see any mention of Bitcoin etc?
- vorpalhex 7y ago
  > Does anybody else just close the tab as soon as they see any mention of Bitcoin etc? Yup. I also usually take the time to ridicule the offenders for being very silly.

wickedsickeune 7y ago

I certainly flags PhoneGap Build apps without a signing certificate. So at least you know that the malicious parties have paid some money to get a cert!

lern_too_spel 7y ago

According to https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/08/28/camscanner-play-store-malware/ https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/08/28/camscanner-play-sto..., if you have an update within the last month, you have a safe version of the app, so it should not be flagged.

Marsymars 7y ago

> Has anyone ever got any app flagged by PlayProtect? Yes, it started flagging all the apps my company distributes internally for testing purposes. Getting it to stop seemed impractical, so my company's guidance is now to disable Play Protect on any test device.

Abishek_Muthian 7y ago
Is it certificate issue? Or a phonegap build like another user has said.
- Marsymars 7y ago
  Not PhoneGap. Been a while since I investigated it and don't have more time to waste on it. shrug

ocdtrekkie 7y ago

Play Protect is not a malware scanner, it's a green check mark designed to lead people to believe they are protected. https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/mobile-devices/ https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/mobile-devices/