Google is rolling out a new line of defense to protect Android users and certified devices. As reported by Bleeping Computer, a new program called Developer Verification will help block malware installations from sideloaded apps that have been downloaded from outside of the official Google Play store.

Apps that were in the Play store were already covered under a requirement established in August 2023 called D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System).

Google has said that the D-U-N-S program saw a notable change in the amount of malware on the platform but because it didn’t apply to the developers and apps that existed outside of the official Play store, users were still seeing malware infections on their devices. Threat actors would spread malware by impersonating legitimate developers an

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