Google Play Blocks 1.75M Malicious Apps in 2025 with AI-Powered Defenses

Google has reinforced its commitment to Android and Google Play security in 2025, blocking 1.75 million policy-violating apps and banning over 80,000 malicious developer accounts from its platform. The company’s AI-driven, multi-layered defenses have significantly reduced the risk of malware, financial fraud, and privacy violations for billions of users worldwide.

AI-Powered Defenses and Proactive Protections

To combat increasingly sophisticated threats—including those leveraging AI—Google has deepened its investments in real-time security measures. In 2025, the company’s efforts resulted in:

• 1.75 million policy-violating apps blocked from publication on Google Play.
• 80,000 bad developer accounts banned for attempting to distribute harmful apps.
• 255,000 apps prevented from accessing excessive sensitive user data.
• 160 million spam ratings and reviews blocked, including inflated or deflated reviews.

Google’s AI-enhanced app detection integrates generative AI models into the review process, enabling faster identification of complex malicious patterns. Additionally, mandatory pre-review checks, developer verification, and testing requirements have raised the bar for app compliance, making it harder for bad actors to infiltrate the ecosystem.

Strengthening Google Play Protect

Google Play Protect, Android’s built-in malware defense system, now scans over 350 billion apps daily—both from Google Play and third-party sources. In 2025, it identified more than 27 million new malicious apps outside Google Play, warning users or blocking installations to neutralize threats.

Key enhancements to Google Play Protect in 2025 include:

• Enhanced fraud protection: Expanded to 185 markets, covering 2.8 billion Android devices, blocking 266 million risky installation attempts and protecting users from 872,000 high-risk applications.
• In-call scam protection: Disables the ability to turn off Google Play Protect during phone calls, preventing bad actors from tricking users into disabling defenses to install malware.

Privacy and Developer Collaboration

Google has prioritized privacy-forward app development, providing tools like Play Policy Insights in Android Studio and the Data Safety section to help developers minimize permission requests and comply with policies. The company also introduced new safeguards for kids and families, preventing younger audiences from accessing apps involving gambling or dating.

To support developers, Google has:

• Integrated Play Policy Insights into Android Studio, offering real-time feedback on permissions and APIs handling sensitive data.
• Expanded pre-review checks in Play Console to catch common rejection reasons, such as improper credential usage or broken privacy policy links.
• Enhanced the Play Integrity API with hardware-backed signals to prevent device spoofing and introduced device recall in beta to identify repeat bad actors post-reset.
• Launched developer verification, requiring accountable identities behind apps to reduce anonymity-based abuse. A dedicated account type for students and hobbyists allows limited app distribution without full verification.

Future Outlook

Google remains focused on AI-driven defenses to stay ahead of emerging threats while equipping developers with tools to build secure, compliant apps. Upcoming initiatives include expanding Android developer verifications to hold bad actors accountable and embedding proactive policy checks to prevent violations before apps are published.

"Our top priority remains making Google Play and Android the most trusted app ecosystems for everyone," said Vijaya Kaza, VP and GM of App & Ecosystem Trust at Google. "We’ll continue investing in AI-driven defenses and developer tools to safeguard users and maintain trust in the ecosystem."