Google to verify all Android devs to block malware on Google Play

Google is introducing a new defence for Android called ‘Developer Verification’ to block malware installations from sideloaded apps sourced from outside the official Google Play store. For apps on Google Play, publishers were already required to provide a D-U-N-S number, introduced on 31 August 2023, a move Google says has reduced malware on the platform, but the system did not apply to developers outside the store.

The programme is set to roll out in stages, with early access starting this year in October, and full access for all Android application developers by March 2026; in 2026 the identity verification will become mandatory for Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, ahead of a global rollout in 2027. The goal is to block sideloading of non‑compliant apps by the operating system on certified devices, which include mainstream brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo and Google’s Pixel line.

Non-certified devices may still sideload APKs from unverified developers, the article notes. According to Google’s announcement, the scale of the threat is significant, with malware from internet-sideloaded sources reportedly over 50 times higher than on Play‑store apps.