Google App Flagged as Infected on a Number of Android Devices

Google Allo is currently flagged as malware on a number of Android devices, including on Google’s very own Pixel phones.

Allo is already an abandoned app after Google announced its demise in 2018, so while it is no longer available for download, it’s still running on a number of devices where it was installed at the time of its retirement or where it came pre-loaded. Sideloading Allo is also possible with the standalone APK file.

In the last couple of weeks, certain users received warnings that Allo might be infected, with the messages showing up mostly on Huawei and Pixel phones.

First of all, users running Avast security software on their Android devices claim that Allo was detected as malware on devices like Google Pixel XL, Pixel 2 XL, and Nexus 5X. Android 10 with the latest updates was running on the affected Pixel phones.

While all signs appear to be pointing towards a false positive, the issue with Avast software was first reported in late December and it still exists in the first days of 2020. Avast is yet to release a comment on the warning that users are getting on their Android devices.

Huawei security notification

At the same time, a number of Huawei smartphones are also getting similar security warnings for Google Allo, as per a report from AA.

“Security threat. Allo appears to be infected. Immediate uninstallation is advised,” the message displayed on Huawei phones.

At this point, details are still sketchy, but the aforementioned source indicates the warning shows up on Huawei P20 Pro and Huawei Mate 20 Pro when users attempt to sideload the discontinued Allo app.

Again, it’s not clear if this is a false positive or not.

We have reached out to Avast and Huawei to ask for more information on this security warning and will update the article when more information is available.