this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2025
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Google’s ‘Secret’ Update Scans All Your Photos (www.forbes.com)
submitted 1 day ago by ad_on_is@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world
264 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Per one tech forum this week: “Google has quietly installed an app on all Android devices called ‘Android System SafetyCore’. It claims to be a ‘security’ application, but whilst running in the background, it collects call logs, contacts, location, your microphone, and much more making this application ‘spyware’ and a HUGE privacy concern. It is strongly advised to uninstall this program if you can. To do this, navigate to 'Settings’ > 'Apps’, then delete the application.”

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[–] Event_Horizon@lemmy.world 11 points 22 hours ago (10 children)

It didn't appear in my apps list so I thought it wasn't installed. But when I searched for the app name it appears. So be aware.

[–] Vikingofthenorth@lemmy.world 2 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

How did you search for it? Search bar in settings?

[–] viking@infosec.pub 2 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Play Store, it doesn't show in local search results, but they list it as installed.

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (2 children)

Even worse, i found this comment in the app store and it did the same on my device :

Installed automatically without my knowledge, no notification, only found it because of a friend's post, and even then, you only see it through a link, it doesn't come up in your app list or a search of the Google play store. I thought it felt like my battery was draining a little quicker too, which is apparently also something noticed in connection to having this app. Uninstalling.

The app can be found here :
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.safetycore
.

[–] viking@infosec.pub 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Oh right, maybe I noticed because of Storage Isolation, that's an app which allows you to restrict folder access of other apps, and it prompts me to select actions for every newly installed app. So it casually prompts me whenever google pushes a new, hidden installation.

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

i believe this application hides in different ways on different devices and maybe it is also different by regions making it even worse to detect and explain to someone else. So, i wouldn't be surprised if you told me you found it in a different way than how it was explained in my comment.

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

.

also in the Forbes article :
Per one tech forum (
https://gbatemp.net/threads/psa-to-all-android-users-google-quietly-installs-spyware-on-android-devices.667542/

GBAtemp.net - The Independent Video Game Community
)
this week: “Google has quietly installed an app on all Android devices called ‘Android System SafetyCore’. It claims to be a ‘security’ application, but whilst running in the background, it collects call logs, contacts, location, your microphone, and much more making this application ‘spyware’ and a HUGE privacy concern. It is strongly advised to uninstall this program if you can.

... →
Remove the following 2 spywares :
1).
Android System SafetyCore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.safetycore
2).
Android System Key Verifier: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.contactkeys

[–] viking@infosec.pub 2 points 9 hours ago

Yep, I've removed both of those the second they showed up on my phone uninvited. Even as a non-US citizen, with the current state of their government, I definitely don't want any corporate collecting data on myself.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 2 points 19 hours ago

i was able to find it on my oneplus, and i also noticed, why is my oneplus 12r draining so fast?

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 1 points 19 hours ago

you can look it up on your app managment settings too, search for it there.

[–] Event_Horizon@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

On my settings screen I have a search bar at the top

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