According to its own survey, Google says that more than 50 times more malware came through internet-sideloaded sources compared with Google Play, where it has required developer verification since 2023.

Android developer verification is largely targeting commercial developers, with Google saying that it’s “committed to keeping Android an open platform” for student and hobbyist developers. Google is creating a separate Android developer console to facilitate this, which will place restrictions on the number of apps and installs.

"Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed by users on certified Android devices," the company said. "This creates crucial accountability, making it much harder for malicious actors to quickly distribute another harmful app after we take the first one down."