Android might quickly shield you from malicious apps by quarantining them

Google at this time makes use of Play Defend to scan your Android system for malicious or suspicious apps, however nasty and intelligent apps can nonetheless sneak previous and infect your system with malware or spyware and adware. Now, a brand new choice probably coming to Android 15 or a future model of the OS will attempt to quarantine probably hostile apps.
Noticed and examined by Android Authority writer Mishaal Rahman, the app quarantining characteristic first popped up in Android 14 QPR2 Beta 1 in November 2023. This means that Google began testing the characteristic in an Android 14 beta with potential plans to roll it out in Android 15 or past.
Sadly, Google has pulled the developer web page for “Quarantined Apps,” in keeping with Rahman. Whereas the setting that might help app quarantining on the OS degree nonetheless exists, there’s not even a command line choice to quarantine an app. Moreover, neither the Google Play Retailer nor Google Play Providers apps request any kind of permissions for app quarantining.
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As such, Rahman speculates that the characteristic might not seem in Android 15, however a future launch as a substitute. Whatever the timing, this is how the characteristic would work, based mostly on Rahman’s early testing.
Quarantining an app could be much like suspending it, which is how Google’s Digital Wellbeing instrument prevents you from utilizing an app as a solution to keep away from distractions. A quarantined app would nonetheless be seen on the house display launcher and within the Settings display in your Android system, however sure facets or options could be disabled.
The quarantining characteristic would disguise the app’s home windows, screens, and notifications, and cease any actions or processes. The app would not be capable of ring your system. Different apps could be unable to question the companies of the quarantined app, although they might be capable of question any of the app’s actions. The app would not be capable of obtain broadcasts from the system or from different apps. Lastly, any dialog bins that usually pop up could be disabled or restricted.
In his testing, Rahman mentioned that the APIs used to quarantine an app are the identical ones used to droop an app, however with an additional setting being handed. Quarantining an app requires a QUARANTINE_APPS permission. Solely particular apps and companies, corresponding to Google’s Play Defend, can maintain this permission, that means solely they’ll quarantine a malicious app.
Rahman included screenshots (as proven above) for instance how the quarantine characteristic labored within the Android 14 beta he used. There is a display that reveals you which of them apps have been quarantined. Additionally, attempting to launch a quarantined app would set off a notification telling you that the app’s been quarantined and sure explaining the explanation why.
With malicious apps an ongoing downside for Google and Android customers, a quarantining characteristic could be a helpful addition. For now although, we’ll need to see if the characteristic pops up in Android 15 or is slated for a future model of Android.