What you want to know
- Launched in 2017, the Google Play Safety Program will now not be useful after August 31.
- Nevertheless, researchers can nonetheless submit safety experiences, which can be addressed till September 30.
- Google cites a “lower in actionable vulnerabilities reported” as the rationale for its discontinuation.
After seven profitable years, Google’s Play Safety Reward Program is coming to an finish. The corporate lately let builders know in regards to the determination by way of electronic mail.
Per the e-mail shared by Mishaal Rahman, writing for Android Authority, the Google Play Safety Reward Program will finish on August 31.
Google is winding down its Play Safety Reward Program, which paid builders who discovered and disclosed vulnerabilities in common Android apps.Extra particulars on this program and why it is being shut down might be discovered 👇https://t.co/5UsW6qgknrTip @TechmemeAugust 19, 2024
For the uninitiated, Google kicked off this system in 2017 to encourage builders and safety researchers to search out vulnerabilities in Google’s web sites, apps, Chrome and Chrome OS, and Pixel gadgets. Researchers who noticed and reported points have been rewarded with money from Google Play.
Although it did enhance Android and Google Play safety, the most recent electronic mail to researchers means that’s now not the case. It goes on to elucidate, “On account of the general improve within the Android OS safety posture and have hardening efforts, we have seen fewer actionable vulnerabilities reported by the analysis group. As a result of this lower within the variety of reported actionable vulnerabilities, we’re winding down the GPSRP program.”
As talked about, this system will finish on August 31; nonetheless, experiences submitted earlier than that interval can be triaged by September 15, and closing reward choices are anticipated to be made earlier than September 30. After that, this system can be “formally discontinued,” the Android safety crew notes within the electronic mail.
The GPSRP was an additional step to collect vulnerability information and create automated checks. These checks could be utilized to all Android apps on the Play Retailer to examine for comparable vulnerabilities and make the app retailer safer, despite the fact that Google already has its personal set of measures to maintain the Play Retailer protected for these many apps. Both method, it’s about to finish—for higher or worse.