[Stanley]

Google Adds 24-Hour Wait for Unverified App Sideloading to Reduce Malware and Scams

Google on Thursday announced a new "advanced flow" for Android sideloading that requires a mandatory 24-hour wait period to install apps from unverified developers in an attempt to balance openness with safety.
The new changes come against the backdrop of a developer verification mandate the tech giant announced last year that requires all Android apps to be registered by verified developers to

https://thehackernews.com/2026/03/google...ified.html

[Sodan42]

The way Google misuses the concept of "sideloading" is sickening. They should call it what it is instead: users exercising their right to install software of their choice. 😡

[DramaKing]

The way Google misuses the concept of "sideloading" is sickening. They should call it what it is instead: users exercising their right to install software of their choice. 😡

Google probably feels that they have no choice but to crack down on unvetted apps. Financial institutions are no doubt pushing Google to prevent banking malware, even if it means reducing user choice and forcing developers to provide more personal information.

[Null State]

Google probably feels that they have no choice but to crack down on unvetted apps. Financial institutions are no doubt pushing Google to prevent banking malware, even if it means reducing user choice and forcing developers to provide more personal information.

The thing that gets me with this is that the user should be responsible for what they choose to do to their device. It's no different than rooting/jailbreaking devices, if you brick your shit that's on you. Adding a 24 hour wait doesn't really do anything other than cause an inconvenience. I believe you can still push apps immediately with ADB, but what if I don't have a PC or any other way to access ADB?

[DramaKing]

The thing that gets me with this is that the user should be responsible for what they choose to do to their device. It's no different than rooting/jailbreaking devices, if you brick your shit that's on you. Adding a 24 hour wait doesn't really do anything other than cause an inconvenience. I believe you can still push apps immediately with ADB, but what if I don't have a PC or any other way to access ADB?

If someone downloads a malicious APK, and his/her bank account gets drained, they should take full responsibility?

The 24-hour wait is meant to prevent social engineering attacks. Don't know how often that happens.

[Null State]

If someone downloads a malicious APK, and his/her bank account gets drained, they should take full responsibility?

The 24-hour wait is meant to prevent social engineering attacks. Don't know how often that happens.

Realistically, yes. It's the exact same to me as if I download something from here on HF. Example, a few days ago a user uploaded some batch files. After Hackers I believe looked at them, they turned out to be malicious. Had I downloaded said batch files on my main machine and ran them, that's completely on me. Don't get me wrong, it sucks, but this has always been the case. Don't download dodgy shit from dodgy sites, and don't download and run things you don't understand. Recently Denuvo had a hypervisor bypass come out, however it really makes your device vulnerable by using it. Lots of people have downloaded cracked games and used it, but every single site I've seen them on has flat out said what a security risk it is, and has highly suggested not using said cracks. If you do, that's on you. I think it's the same thing here. My Android device is rooted with an unlocked bootloader. I fully expect things to be malicious instead of vice versa, just due to things I've learned over the years across tech in general, not just Android.

It's the same thing to me as leaving your house or car unlocked in the ghetto. Odds are, you'll be fine just due to sheer probability/likelihood of you not being a target. However, if your house gets ransacked, or your car gets stolen, the second you tell people you left the doors and windows open, they're going to look at you and ask what did you expect to happen? They won't say oh well Ford or Chevrolet or whoever should do more to protect car buyers, they're going to tell you to use your head and stop leaving your shit unlocked lol.