As a Google Play developer, you play a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of your app and its users. With the rise of social engineering abuse campaigns, particularly targeting vulnerable populations, it's more important than ever to take proactive measures to protect your users and the integrity of your app.
This article provides an overview of two helpful Android and Play security flags that can enhance your app's security: FLAG_SECURE
and REQUIRE_SECURE_ENV
. By understanding and effectively utilizing these flags, you can help combat targeted abuse and further safeguard your app's ecosystem.
FLAG_SECURE
FLAG_SECURE signals that your app is intended to run in a more secure environment, mitigating potential vulnerabilities, monitoring, and attacks. It is a display flag declared in an app’s code to indicate that its UI contains sensitive data intended to be limited to a secure surface while using the app, signaling to other apps and services that the data should not appear in screenshots or be viewed on non-secure displays. Developers declare this flag when the app’s content should not be broadcast, viewed, or otherwise transmitted outside of the app or users’ device. For example, if a screen in your app contains sensitive data that might present a security risk if viewed by a third-party such as a remote support app, FLAG_SECURE
is one way to declare that sensitivity and help provide a secure environment. For security and privacy purposes, all apps distributed on Google Play are required to respect FLAG_SECURE — which entails not facilitating or creating workarounds to bypass the flag settings in other apps.
REQUIRE_SECURE_ENV
Social engineering attacks are particularly concerning for the elder population and other vulnerable groups who may be more susceptible to manipulation and deception. These attacks often involve tricking users into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details, or downloading malicious content.
By implementing the FLAG_SECURE
and REQUIRE_SECURE_ENV
flags, you can help mitigate social engineering attacks within your app. Used independently or simultaneously, these flags help protect against vulnerabilities that attackers often exploit to gain access to personal and sensitive user data or devices.
Protecting elder users and vulnerable populations from social engineering abuse
Social engineering attacks are particularly concerning for the elder population and other vulnerable groups who may be more susceptible to manipulation and deception. These attacks often involve tricking users into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details, or downloading malicious content.
By implementing the FLAG_SECURE
and REQUIRE_SECURE_ENV
flags, you can help mitigate social engineering attacks within your app. Used independently or simultaneously, these flags help protect against vulnerabilities that attackers often exploit to gain access to personal and sensitive user data or devices.
Additional protective measures
In addition to utilizing security flags, consider incorporating these additional measures to help protect your users from social engineering abuse:
- Educate users about social engineering tactics: Provide clear and concise warnings within your app about common social engineering techniques, such as phishing scams and fake support calls.
- Implement secure authentication mechanisms: Employ robust authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication, to prevent unauthorized access to user accounts.
- Regularly update your app: Keep your app up-to-date with the latest security patches and bug fixes to address any potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
Collaboration and ongoing education
Fighting abuse and protecting users is an ongoing process that requires collaboration among developers, Google Play, and the broader security community. Stay informed about security best practices by reading our Safety & Security blog.
By working together, we can create a more secure and trustworthy Android ecosystem for all users.
Frequently asked questions
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