Android 15 could “quarantine” malicious apps for your security

What do you want to know

• Android 15 code offers more details on the software’s upcoming “quarantine app” feature.
• The code suggests that the software service, like Play Protect, could be responsible for quarantining a malicious or “misbehaving” app to protect users.
• A quarantined app can no longer offer notifications, ring the device, and many other features that have become commonplace.

Shortly after the first beta of Android 15 launched, signs in its code appear to point to a new “quarantine” feature for malicious apps.

According to Mishaal Rahman (Android Authority), Google appears to be working on a new quarantine feature that isolates an app that could be dangerous. Rahman noted that quarantining an app in Android 15 works the same as disabling an app in Settings or suspending it through Digital Wellbeing.

When testing, the security protocol will always show the existence of the app on your home screen; however, this will turn off all notifications. Pre-existing instances (windows/activities) of the app will be “hidden” and will also lose its ability to ring your Android device.

Rahman discovered that a quarantined app cannot “receive broadcasts” from the operating system or other apps on a device. Also, services can’t query it, but it looks like application activities still can.

Google is likely working on a new “QUARANTINE_APPS” permission toggle allowing users to grant services like Play Protect. This could mean that Android will be responsible for locking apps away from the rest of a user’s system.

It’s still unclear whether this app quarantine feature will disappear with Android 15 or sometime after. Rahman states that neither Play Protect nor the Play Store currently has the appropriate functionality. Once available and when called to action, Android 15 can alert users that it has quarantined an app “for your safety.”

Development of Google’s Android 15 continues as the software passed its first beta stage on April 11. Opening the beta allows eligible Pixel owners and more developers to participate in software testing to begin preparing apps for its official launch. The first beta included additional support for app creators developing products for large devices like foldables.

The company also included support for archiving and unarchiving applications, while improving TalkBack’s support for braille displays.

According to his development schedule, Google’s first beta timing arrived exactly as expected. Interested testers will get a few more beta builds before Android 15 moves to “Platform Stability” around summer.