Google tightens Chrome Web Store security rules in the fight against malware

Google has introduced new rules for Chrome Web Store developers to combat spam and malware via the app store. These are stricter rules around security and trust, and they are mainly aimed at deception.

For example, it is no longer allowed to offer multiple Chrome extensions as part of the same installation flow and extensions are no longer allowed to upsell other extensions or apps . This should prevent someone from installing a second extension that collects data in the background, even if the user has uninstalled the original extension.

Also, developers are no longer allowed to publish multiple extensions that are too similar in terms of “functionality, content and user experience,” the company said in an email to developers, picked up by XDA Developers . Google now sees this as a form of spam. For example, developers can no longer publish numerous wallpaper extensions that are almost the same.

In addition, developers must be clear about the functionality an app offers and a user must not get lost in a mountain of irrelevant text. In addition, the user experience should match what users can expect when they see the app in the Store. It is also not allowed to oblige an action of users to unlock advertised access.

Finally, from August 2, when these new rules are implemented, it will be mandatory for developers to enable two-step verification in their account. Without 2fa, developers will no longer be able to publish or upload apps and extensions that violate the new rules will be removed from the Store and disabled in Chrome.