Hi guys,
I just lost my developer account because Google accused my app posted in Play Store as a malware.
They didn't give any warning, just emailed me that my developer account has been terminated due to their malware policy.
Previously, this app considered as a safe app, Play Store accepted it.
One day, I made an updated version then submited again, and suddently it became a malware.
I have also submitted this 'malware' version to online app scanner, virustotal.com and metadefender.
On Metadefender, 1 engine has a warning that it could send SMS, others engines passed. My App doesn't touch any SMS functions, so I guest it was a false alarm.
On VirusTotal.Com, it passed all engines.
I have also insttalled AVG on my phone and let it scanned my app and it was OK.
My App is a bussines app that records users transactions such as sales, purchase, etc and send the data to Cloud Server with jRDC2.
I reverted back all the updated codes, one by one to the last version that considered safe with Play Store, and uploaded it one by one to Google Drive until find out where is the codes that made Google started treated it as a malware.
I uploaded to Google drive because I assume that they have the same engine with Google Play.
When I found that lines of codes, it was totally not made sense for me.
Here is the code that considered safe with Play Store
Here is the codes that considered as a malware
When the file location of KeyValue object changed, Google treated it as a malware.
I made a small app that changed the location of Key Value object and uploaded it to Google Drive, and it was OK.
So, it was unique to my app only.
For me it seem that it was a false alarm. I have submitted all arguments to them, but they still refused to accepted it. They kept hide behind their malware policy.
I don't, how, lot of applications could passed Google Anti-Virus engine.
Could it be that there is something in B4A that triggers this false alarm?
Any suggestion, what should I do?
There is other more serious danger than this. It's called Play Protect.
This is an anti virus software from Google, pre installed in every phones/tablets running Android OS and default mode in On.
It runs in background and scan ALL your app in phones/tablets periodically.
When it decided that an app is a malware/virus, it will deleted without any confirmation at all.
Imagine if there is a company, built an in house app use for private only. This app collects datas and stored it on its internal drive before send it to company's server. Suddently, Play Protect treat it as a malware and delete the app and all data.
To me, it seem that Google want TOTAL Control over Android OS. When they installed Play Protect, it didn't ask for user permission, and when it deleted app, also without user permission.
It was already happen to me, my app suddently vanished.
Funny things is, after that I insttaled again and run a scan with Play Protect manually. Now it was considered safe, fews hour later, scan again with Play Protect, still considered safe, don't know if scan again later.
What is the right do they have to delete an app based on their eradic engine?
Yes, Play Protect can be turn off, but it will give bad impression to users, they might think that there is something wrong with your app.
What do you guys think about this? Are there any action we can take againts this ?
Can we protect app made by B4A so it won't be deleted without confirmation from users?
I just lost my developer account because Google accused my app posted in Play Store as a malware.
They didn't give any warning, just emailed me that my developer account has been terminated due to their malware policy.
Previously, this app considered as a safe app, Play Store accepted it.
One day, I made an updated version then submited again, and suddently it became a malware.
I have also submitted this 'malware' version to online app scanner, virustotal.com and metadefender.
On Metadefender, 1 engine has a warning that it could send SMS, others engines passed. My App doesn't touch any SMS functions, so I guest it was a false alarm.
On VirusTotal.Com, it passed all engines.
I have also insttalled AVG on my phone and let it scanned my app and it was OK.
My App is a bussines app that records users transactions such as sales, purchase, etc and send the data to Cloud Server with jRDC2.
I reverted back all the updated codes, one by one to the last version that considered safe with Play Store, and uploaded it one by one to Google Drive until find out where is the codes that made Google started treated it as a malware.
I uploaded to Google drive because I assume that they have the same engine with Google Play.
When I found that lines of codes, it was totally not made sense for me.
Here is the code that considered safe with Play Store
B4X:
' codes on Main'
Sub Process_Globals
Public kvs As KeyValueStore
End Sub
'codes in Starter'
Sub Process_Globals
Public rp As RuntimePermissions
Public RptParams As Map
Public PUB_InstDir As String
Public Provider As FileProvider
End Sub
Sub Service_Create
PUB_InstDir= rp.GetSafeDirDefaultExternal("")
Provider.Initialize
End Sub
Sub Service_Start (StartingIntent As Intent)
Main.kvs.Initialize(PUB_InstDir, "datastore")
End SubHere is the codes that considered as a malware
B4X:
' all codes on Main and other remain the same'
Sub Service_Start (StartingIntent As Intent)
Main.kvs.Initialize(File.DirInternal, "cfg")
End SubWhen the file location of KeyValue object changed, Google treated it as a malware.
I made a small app that changed the location of Key Value object and uploaded it to Google Drive, and it was OK.
So, it was unique to my app only.
For me it seem that it was a false alarm. I have submitted all arguments to them, but they still refused to accepted it. They kept hide behind their malware policy.
I don't, how, lot of applications could passed Google Anti-Virus engine.
Could it be that there is something in B4A that triggers this false alarm?
Any suggestion, what should I do?
There is other more serious danger than this. It's called Play Protect.
This is an anti virus software from Google, pre installed in every phones/tablets running Android OS and default mode in On.
It runs in background and scan ALL your app in phones/tablets periodically.
When it decided that an app is a malware/virus, it will deleted without any confirmation at all.
Imagine if there is a company, built an in house app use for private only. This app collects datas and stored it on its internal drive before send it to company's server. Suddently, Play Protect treat it as a malware and delete the app and all data.
To me, it seem that Google want TOTAL Control over Android OS. When they installed Play Protect, it didn't ask for user permission, and when it deleted app, also without user permission.
It was already happen to me, my app suddently vanished.
Funny things is, after that I insttaled again and run a scan with Play Protect manually. Now it was considered safe, fews hour later, scan again with Play Protect, still considered safe, don't know if scan again later.
What is the right do they have to delete an app based on their eradic engine?
Yes, Play Protect can be turn off, but it will give bad impression to users, they might think that there is something wrong with your app.
What do you guys think about this? Are there any action we can take againts this ?
Can we protect app made by B4A so it won't be deleted without confirmation from users?