Google Play Protect on Android Failed Against Malware-Detecting Apps From Avast, McAfee, More: AV-Test

Google Play Protect emerged as the least effective solution among a total of 15 security apps used by AV-Test for its study.

Advertisement
By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 29 July 2021 17:11 IST
Highlights
  • Google Play Protect was considered among security apps for a study
  • The preloaded Android solution resulted in false detection
  • Google Play Protect detected only two-third of 20,000 malicious apps
Google Play Protect on Android Failed Against Malware-Detecting Apps From Avast, McAfee, More: AV-Test

Google Play Protect is claimed to scan more than 100 billion apps on a daily basis

Photo Credit: Google

Google Play Protect, the pre-installed malware protection on Android devices, has failed to provide a competitive level of security against other popular anti-malware solutions in the market. The system detected just two-third of 20,000 malicious apps during a test that involved a total of 15 security apps for Android devices, according to a research. However, unlike Google Play Protect, apps from companies such as Bitdefender, McAfee, NortonLifeLock, and Trend Micro were able to result in a 100 percent detection rate.

German IT security institute AV-Test conducted the study of Android apps to help protect users from malicious attacks in which it found Google Play Protect as the least effective solution among a total of 15 security apps. The study was conducted for six months between January and June and included apps from companies including Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, F-Secure, Kaspersky, NortonLifeLock, and Trend Micro, among others.

Nine of the 15 apps considered for the study received top score of 18 in the endurance test. Those apps were made by Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, F-Secure, G DATA, Kaspersky, McAfee, NortonLifeLock, and Trend Micro. They were followed by the apps from Avira, Protected.net, securiON and AhnLab, with 17.8 to 17.1 points. Australian company Ikarus also received 16 points. However, Google Play Protect was the last in the series, with mere 6 points.

Google Play Protect came last on AV-Test's results
Photo Credit: AV-Test

Advertisement

 

Google claims that its Play Protect scans more than 100 billion apps on a daily basis and is available on 2.5 billion active devices. But neither the large-scale scanning nor its extensive availability appears to have pleased the researchers at AV-Test as they found that Google's solution detected only 68.8 percent of the total 20,000 malicious apps in the real-time test. In contrast, apps from Avira, F-Secure, and AhnLab were found to have achieved 99.8 and 100 percent detection in the same test.

Advertisement

The machine learning-backed Play Protect system also generated false alerts over 70 times in all the tests conducted by the institute.

AV-Test recommended users to not just rely on Google Play Protect and use an additional security app.

Advertisement

Google introduced Play Protect back in 2017 and in 2018, the solution was claimed to have helped reduce a significant number of vulnerability instances on Android. However, some recent reports suggested that despite Google Play Protect in place by default, several malware apps were able to target users. AV-Test in 2017 also pointed out that the malware detection rate of Google Play Protect was well below industry average.

Gadgets 360 did not receive a response from Google on the Play Protect results published online at the time of filing.


What is the best phone to buy right now? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. 5 Must-Have Samsung Products Every Student Needs in 2025
  1. Webb Telescope Uncovers Hidden Active Galactic Nuclei
  2. SpaceX Starship Flight 9 Reuses Booster, Gathers Key Data Despite Loss
  3. 7,100-Year-Old Skeleton Reveals Unknown Human Lineage in China
  4. SpaceX Aims to Break Launch Record With 170 Orbital Liftoffs Planned for 2025
  5. Scientists Capture Plasma Streams, Coronal Raindrops in Sharpest-Ever View of Sun’s Corona
  6. The Traitor OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Uorfi Javed, Karan Kundra Starrer Reality Show Online?
  7. Nizarkudai Now Available for Streaming on Aha Tamil: What You Need to Know
  8. Big Ben OTT Release: When and Where to Watch Malayalam Movie Online?
  9. Akkada Ammayi ikkada Abbayi Now Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
  10. Vaanil Thedinen Now Streaming on Aha Tamil: Everything You Need to Know
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.