What is Google Play Project and why does it launch ads on my mobile

Security is something that concerns all technology users, whether it is a PC or a mobile that they have in their hands. Each of these devices contain personal and sensitive information inside: our address, bank details and passwords, intimate photos and videos... something that would not be appropriate if it fell into the wrong hands. For the computer, Windows implements its own security system, Windows Defender. If we have it updated and with Windows Defender active, we would not have to worry as long as we continue to use our common sense.On the mobile, on the other hand, we have Google Play Protect, Android's own 'antivirus' with which we can know if any of the applications we have installed on our phone have malicious intentions.

How Google Play Protect works

Thanks to Google Play Protect, the Internet giant was able to retain more than 1.9 billion applicationss whose sole intention was to steal it data to the user who installed them. Google's antivirus is constantly evolving, as is the ingenuity of cybercriminals to manufacture applications that are more efficient. Google Play Protect protects you, according to Google's own words, in the following way:

• Check the applications before you can download and install them on your mobile phone
• Eventually perform security scans on your phone for harmful apps you have installed from alternative stores
• Alerts you to any app it sees as unsafe and removes it from your device so you don't put yourself at further risk
• It also notifies you if any of the applications you have installed on your device violate the 'Unwanted Software Policies' because they misrepresent or hide important data
• Google Play Protect also sends notices about the applications you have installed on your mobile and that can obtain user permissions to access your personal information. This action, in fact, goes against the ‘Developer Policy‘ of Google.

Check the security status of your applications

If you want to check the security status of your installed applications, you need to perform the following steps.

• Enter the app store of Google Play
• At the top left you will find a menu with three lines. Come inside.
• A side screen appears with different sections. The one we are interested in attends by the name of ‘Play Protect‘. We detail it in the following screenshot.
• On the next screen you will find information about the status of your device. If everything is correct, if some type of anomaly has been found, etc.
• If you notice, at the top we have a icon in the shape of a gear wheel. Press it.
• This is the part for Google Play Protect settings. On this screen you can activate or deactivate the Android antivirus.In addition, we can keep the option activated to improve the detection of harmful applications. We recommend that you keep at least the first option enabled.

How to avoid downloading harmful applications

Google Play Protect is not infallible. Malicious applications slip into the Google Play store that could not be detected by Google's security system. What can we do then?

• Avoid downloading apps from other stores other than Google Play
• Have a look at the permissions it asks for and make sure they fit within a logic. For example, a flashlight app doesn't need to access your call history.

These two tips should be enough to get everything going well on your device.From time to time, Keep an eye on your installed apps and if you see unwanted ads or your phone starts behaving strangely, feel free to uninstall the suspicious ones.