Google Play Protect Stops Less Malware Than Anti-Virus Apps

The security software that protects Google Android devices against malware performs worse than anti-virus apps, according to a test of the German test lab AV-Test. In July , Google launched " Play Protect", security software that checks apps that users want to download and install scans malware and periodically checks the device on malware. Play Protect is present on all Android devices with Google Play.

AV-Test has been comparing several mobile virus scanners for a long time, but also included Play Protect in the September test. For the test, 20 different Android virus scanners and Play Protect were tested with nearly 6000 infected apps. It involved detection of 3000 contaminated apps in real time and detection of 2900 infected Android apps found in the last four weeks of the test.

On average, the tested programs detect 95.7 percent and 98.4 percent of the infected apps. Antiy, Bitdefender, Cheetah Mobile, Sophos, Symantec and Trend Micro score 100 percent in both detection tests. Google Play Protect ends at the bottom. During the real-time detection of apps, Play Protect detected 65.8 percent of malicious apps. Of the malicious apps found in the four weeks before the test, Play Protect detected 79.2 percent.

In total, the virus scanners could collect 13 points. Six points were achieved for detecting malicious apps. The same number of points were divided for usability, such as battery usage, system load, high data traffic, and the unreasonable alert of Google Play clean apps and other official marketplaces. Finally, there was one point to earn for additional security measures, such as anti-theft, encryption and backup.

To achieve six points in detecting Android malware, it was not necessary to score 100 percent. Therefore, ultimately, AhnLab, Antiy, Bitdefender, Cheetah Mobile, G Data, Kaspersky Lab, McAfee Symantec, Tencent and Trend Micro can reach the maximum 13 points. Google Play Protect was evaluated only on malware detection. Due to the low detection score, the software receives zero points. Of the anti-virus applications tested on all components, NSHC and F-Secure end with 9 and 9.5 points, respectively, below.