The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), in partnership with Google, will introduce a pilot scam protection feature that will block Android users in Singapore from installing apps from unverified sources - web browsers, messaging apps or file managers.
The pilot aims to prevent the installation of apps that request sensitive permissions commonly abused for financial fraud.
By analysing runtime permission requests such as RECEIVE_SMS and READ_SMS, the enhanced fraud protection feature - Google Play Protect will automatically block installations from "unverified" sources.
Google reported that one in two online users in Singapore fall victim to online scams despite their confidence in spotting scams and avoiding them.
The new feature has multiple layers of protection, including Spam Protection in Messages, Safe Browsing on Chrome, and Google Play Protect to protect users from fraud, scams, phishing, and other security threats on Android and Google Play.
Singapore will begin the phased pilot of this feature on Android devices in the next few weeks.
Part of CSA, Google partnership
The feature has undergone pre-testing and was developed as part of the ongoing partnership between CSA and Google on cybersecurity and anti-scam efforts.
CSA's deputy chief executive Chua Kuan Seah said, "The fight against online scams is a dynamic one and through such partnerships with technology players like Google, we are constantly improving our anti-scam defences to protect Singaporeans online and safeguard their digital assets."
Google added that more anti-scam features are in the pipeline and it will also support CSA by continuing to assist with malware detection and analysis, sharing malware insights and techniques, as well as creating user and developer education resources.
Google's director of Android security strategy, Eugene Liderman said, "This pilot in Singapore is just one of many new things to come to help keep our users safe."
"We will be closely monitoring the results of the pilot to assess its impact and make adjustments as needed," he added.
