Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection • Hacker News Board

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#791

Post by lern_too_spel » Wed, Jul 08, 2026, 4:56 PM UTC

ysnp wrote: post #689

lern_too_spel wrote: post #480

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is no different from before. If you want consumers to be able to install your app without a warning on Google builds, you have to jump through verification hoops. The only thing that ADV changes for developers is that now they can distribute their apps outside the system app stores without a warning as well, which is a new benefit, not a new restriction. The correct thing to complain about is requiring developer…

Can Android OEMs, bundling Google Mobile Services for Android certification, choose different trust roots for verification? >The correct thing to complain about is requiring developer mode for unverified installs, which doesn't seem necessary I had assumed the friction was to dissuade developers from not going through ADV. Isn't it partly for making malware distribution more traceable and campaigns easier to halt on…

> Can Android OEMs, bundling Google Mobile Services for Android certification, choose different trust roots for verification?

They can already install additional system app stores, so it would surprise me if they can't allow additional verifiers.

> Isn't it partly for making malware distribution more traceable

Enabling developer mode does not make malware distribution more traceable.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#792

Post by lbrito » Wed, Jul 08, 2026, 9:14 PM UTC

fossman wrote: post #763

lbrito wrote: post #656

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably not the case for most people. I'm living abroad and had to do something on the Brazilian e-gov platform. To log in I had to confirm my ID with an Android app. Not only is it exclusively on Play store, but it also refuses to install on any rooted device, so I had to boot an old non-rooted Android I had stored somewhere. I'm confident this is a very common experience worldwide, be it with gov IDs or banks.

Are you saying the e-gov platform cannot be accessed using their website on a computer? So people without smartphones are excluded?

Basically yes. Maybe you can access the "unprotected" version, which is basically useless as all the features necessitate an android/iphone device for 2fa.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#793

Post by u8080 » Wed, Jul 08, 2026, 10:33 PM UTC

LtWorf wrote: post #789

u8080 wrote: post #785

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Russia is also under heavy attack of phone scammers. Govt using that to shut down and ban messengers, lol, how convinient.

While Europe doing chatcontrol is very free and democratic?

Govts pretend to protect while taking your civil rights, nothing new under the moon.