Android 4.2 Comes with Real-Time App Scanning

On Monday, Google officially introduced the new Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system flavor, which brings along a nice range of enhancements over the previous platform releases, including new security features.

Google hasn’t detailed these security enhancements to the full, but info on what they would deliver to users did emerge online.

Apparently, the new platform release comes with a real-time app scanning service, one that should make the Android ecosystem more secure than before.

Google already had in place a variety of security measures when it came to applications, in an attempt to make sure that no malware or other similar apps were admitted to the Google Play Store, but the new feature should take the idea to a new level.

Google’s Bouncer system, introduced back in February, was designed for the testing of apps in the storefront, to ensure that they were clean.

Android 4.2 arrives with an extension of this feature, aimed at ensuring once again that no malicious or potentially harmful code runs on devices, ComputerWorld explains.

The system was designed to work with the phone and to instantly scan all applications that have been installed from third-party sources.

Basically, when a new application is being installed from a source other than the Google Play Store, the system will pop up a notification asking users whether they would like to have the software checked for "harmful behavior."

Should the user choose to have the app tested, the phone will send info on the software to Google, which will compare it to known apps. The installation will continue if the app is rendered safe.

Google says that the system was created so as to work seamlessly. No delay in the installation of the sideloaded app will be noticed, should the system find it safe to install. Only a signature of the APK is being sent to Google’s server, which makes it easily identifiable.