Many people use application markets such as Google Play Store, App Store and AppGallery because it is safer when downloading applications to their Android and iOS smartphones, tablets and computers. However, it is also possible to download the same applications as APKs from the internet. So is APK safe to download?
Is APK safe to download?
Due to the embargo and sanctions imposed by the USA, Huawei has been having great difficulties on the smartphone side, especially for the last 2 years. He tried to overcome this problem by expanding his own operating system and application market, AppGallery.
Of course, AppGallery does not yet contain all the games and applications as in the Google Play Store. Therefore, when users search for an application, they direct you to download and install an APK file from an unofficial source. So is APK safe to download?
Under normal conditions, when you use a 3rd party method instead of downloading an application from application markets, smartphones scan these files for viruses. What we call APK is actually the file format used to install applications on devices using the Android operating system, which means Android Package Kit.
We can think of it as the Android version of the .exe format on Windows computers or the .dmg format on MacOS. However, we know that recently, some malware hides in APK files and settles in phones and takes over almost everything from cryptocurrency wallets to personal data.
So if you are not downloading APK from a reliable source, you may be dragging your personal data and device into a huge security hole. However, Huawei, which directs sites such as APKPure, APKMonk, AppParks and Uptodown to download an application as an APK, says that they perform real-time scanning and are as reliable as the market.
Making a statement on the subject, Huawei Mobile Services Europe Vice President Dr. Jaime Gonzalo said:
First we make sure the source is reliable and we check all results daily. We also check the security and compatibility of the device. Second, the channel is encrypted when the app is installed, so all messages sent outside of the process are blocked. Third, we have a real-time antivirus and malware process, which means you will be protected during regular use of APK sites.
To assess reliability, we look at the popularity of the site and the app, and we usually make sure that the page has the latest app version available, as it has the latest security patches. At the end of the process, we run an internal check to look for malware.
On the device itself during the download, the integrity of the application is checked so that it does not open or install another APK in parallel and the name of the application is verified. Malware and virus threat protection is next, followed by our own AI security protection. This watches the app do something unexpected, like trying to access something it shouldn’t be. If the AI detects this, it blocks the installation. After all, if there is no threat, the application can be installed.
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