November 7, 2023 Google has begun the process of highlighting apps that have passed independent security reviews.
These reviews come from third parties that use a global security standard to gauge an app’s trustworthiness and resiliency against malware and security flaws. The reviews use a process called Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA), introduced last year by the App Defense Alliance (ADA).
The ADA is a partnership between Google and security firms ESET, Lookout, and Zimperium that kicked off in 2019. MASA lets developers submit their apps for validation against the global standard to certify that they’ve successfully identified and resolved security holes.
After a successful validation, Google allows developers to display an independent security review badge in the Data Safety section of an app’s Google Play page. Though the certification doesn’t mean an app is completely free of vulnerabilities, the badge serves as a sign that a developer has prioritized security, privacy, and user safety, Google stated.
Google says its efforts to prioritize security and privacy transparency on Google Play are aligned with the needs and expectations of both users and developers. It believes that it can foster a thriving app ecosystem where users can make more informed app decisions, and developers are encouraged to uphold the highest standards of security and privacy.
The sources for this piece include an article in ZDNet.
