Google has now launched a brand new initiative to assist third-party Android distributors patch flaws and vulnerabilities sooner. It has launched a brand new Android Companion Vulnerability Initiative which basically helps producers in discovering flaws and fixing them quickly. Individually, Google can also be creating a brand new Android safety staff that may solely be centered on searching for vulnerabilities in extremely delicate apps on Google Play retailer.

The brand new Android Companion Vulnerability Initiative (APVI) has been launched by Android Safety and Privateness staff to handle safety issued associated to third-party Android distributors. The weblog publish explains that this initiative seems to ‘drive remediation and supply transparency to customers about points found at Google that have an effect on machine fashions shipped by Android companions.’

The APVI has already addressed various safety points. It would not listing vendor companions, however a bug tracker for the initiative mentions OEMs like Oppo, Huawei, Vivo, ZTE, and Meizu. Chip maker MediaTek has additionally been listed, together with Digitime and Transsion. Google mentions that a lot of the vulnerabilities discovered have been mounted by distributors. If something, this initiative will put some onus on Android distributors to take safety of telephones and different units extra severely and repair points speedily.

Google has additionally printed a brand new job posting searching for a ‘Safety Engineering Supervisor’ to assist ‘create and keep the most secure working surroundings for Google’s customers and builders’.

Sebastian Porst, Software program Engineering Supervisor for Google Play Shield informed ZDNet that Google is trying to construct a staff that may deal with extremely delicate apps like COVID-19 contact tracing apps and election-related functions. The job posting explains, “Your staff will carry out utility safety assessments in opposition to extremely delicate, third occasion Android apps on Google Play, working to determine vulnerabilities and supply remediation steering to impacted utility builders.”

Whereas Google does have a bug bounty initiative referred to as the Google Play Safety Reward Program (GPSRP) whereby it gives safety researchers cash in change for locating bugs, however this program is restricted to apps which have greater than 100 million customers and extremely delicate apps aren’t all the time eligible for GPSRP rewards. This new staff seems to shut this loophole and assist make the Google Play retailer ecosystem somewhat safer.

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