In a notable shift within the Android app ecosystem, Google has reported a significant decrease in the number of malicious apps targeting its Google Play platform. This positive trend is attributed to the company’s enhanced investments in proactive security measures and advanced artificial intelligence technologies.
Declining Numbers of Malicious Apps
According to Google’s latest Android app ecosystem safety report, released on Thursday, the tech giant successfully prevented 1.75 million policy-violating apps from being published on Google Play in 2025. This figure marks a decline from 2.36 million in 2024 and 2.28 million in 2023, indicating a steady improvement in the platform’s security landscape.
The annual report provides insights into Google’s ongoing efforts to safeguard Android users from various threats, including malware, financial fraud, privacy invasions, and deceptive subscriptions. In a further demonstration of its commitment to user safety, Google revealed that it banned over 80,000 developer accounts in 2025 for attempting to publish harmful apps. This number also reflects a year-over-year decrease from 158,000 in 2024 and a staggering 333,000 in 2023.
Google attributes this progress to its strategic investments in AI and real-time defenses, which not only combat threats but also deter potential bad actors. The company explained in its blog post that initiatives such as developer verification, mandatory pre-review checks, and rigorous testing requirements have elevated the standards for the Google Play ecosystem. These measures have significantly curtailed the avenues available for malicious entities to infiltrate the platform.
Currently, Google conducts over 10,000 safety checks on every app before publication and continues to monitor these apps post-launch. The integration of cutting-edge generative AI models into the app review process has enhanced the ability of human reviewers to detect complex malicious patterns more swiftly. Looking ahead, Google plans to further bolster its AI investments in 2026 to remain vigilant against emerging threats.
In addition to its efforts in app publication, Google has also taken steps to protect user data. The company successfully prevented more than 255,000 apps from gaining excessive access to sensitive user information, a significant reduction from 1.3 million in 2024. Furthermore, Google blocked 160 million spam ratings and reviews last year, averting an average 0.5-star rating drop for apps targeted by review bombing.
Meanwhile, the Android defense system, known as Google Play Protect, identified over 27 million new malicious apps, providing warnings or blocking these apps from execution. This represents an increase from the 13 million non-Play Store apps flagged in 2024 and five million in 2023, suggesting that malicious actors are increasingly opting to bypass the Play Store when targeting users.
