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Google has implemented a new alert feature designed to inform Android owners when apps they've installed lose developer support, and it's prompted many to discover the security risk that 'abandoned' apps can have on their phones.
While Google's Play Store might not necessarily have the same rigorous protections as Apple's App Store on iPhone, you can be broadly confident that apps you're downloading are safe and won't pose a cybersecurity risk.
There are still some that slip through the cracks, however, with Google warning people to always double check apps before they're downloaded — but one of the biggest dangers could actually come from abandoned apps, which the tech giant has tried to address with a new feature.
As discovered by Android Authority, Google is reportedly working on a new alert system that will inform Android owners when apps they have downloaded become unsupported or abandoned by their developers.
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This was spotted in the code of the Google Play Store app's version 51.4.19, with alerts letting you know when your apps will no longer receive updates alongside their removal from the store.
Previously Google's Play Protect service only sent out notifications when apps posed a significant security threat and were deemed to be a 'potentially harmful app', and while that will continue, this new system creates a new layer of protection for your phone.
While there are no specific apps that you need to uninstall right now, the introduction of this alert system indicates that you should always remove apps that no longer receive support as they will be left out of any vital security updates implemented through the Android operating system, as per PhoneArena.
Hacks and malicious actors can use abandoned apps as vessels for harmful code, and if a developer isn't there to keep the app up to date and protected, it could leave your device vulnerable — even if you don't use the app after it has been installed.
It's always a good idea to remove any apps that you don't use regardless, but paying attention to any of the newly implemented notifications when they arrive will help keep your phone protected in the long run.
Abandoned apps posing a security risk can allow a hacker to steal your personal data, mirror your device – leading to potential financial theft – and also install malware onto your phone.
