Google Play Protect: The New Threat Blocking All OTClient Mobile Installs!

[Mr.Caffeine]

Apparently, all OT clients v8 mobile from various servers are now being blocked by a Google tool called 'Google Play Protect.' When users attempt to install the mobile client, they receive a warning message stating that the application is unsafe.

While it is still possible to proceed with the installation by clicking on 'more details,' this kind of warning discourages many new users from installing the client.

What would be the solution to this issue?

 

[pelek2002]

you can install it by clicking more details, download anyway

 

[Mr.Caffeine]

you can install it by clicking more details, download anyway

Exactly, you can. However, new users are likely to give up on the installation when they receive this message that the application is not safe.

 

[Silba]

this has been happening on desktop forever so i don't think its a very big issue, especially since they have to already explicitly allow 3rd party apps with a warning already

 

[Mr.Caffeine]

this has been happening on desktop forever so i don't think its a very big issue, especially since they have to already explicitly allow 3rd party apps with a warning already

I didn't create this thread here to receive replies like this from people saying that this isn't a problem, because I know that this is a problem and people are not installing the client because of it.
What I want is possible solutions

 

[Maps]

maybe update the app to newer version of android to include the latest privacy protections

I know that this is a problem and people are not installing the client because of it.
What I want is possible solutions

so many scammers, charge backs, thieves etc. ofc it's unsafe. what do u want to solve? a bad reputation?

 

[OT Archive]

maybe update the app to newer version of android to include the latest privacy protections

This is what is needed. A notification will still popup though, asking to scan the app:


After the scan you will be given the option to install and it's also possible to skip the scan and install directly.

It's possible that google will start to "recognize" the app after a while and won't show it anymore, I don't know.


Compiled with:

targetSdkVersion 35

I've attached my apk if anyone wanna test it out.

 

[Gesior.pl]

Developer Guidance for Google Play Protect Warnings | Google for Developers

developers.google.com

 These Play Protect warnings will show only if the app's targetSdkVersion is more than 2 versions lower than the current Android API level. For example, a user with a device running Android 13 (current API = 33) will be warned when installing any APK that targets API level lower than 31. Android Versions and corresponding API levels can be reviewed on the API level page.

It looks like you have to deliver app with newest Android API version, but IDK if it will work on old Androids. Like, if you deliver API 35 (Android 15) version app, will it work on Android 11 (API 30)?

I've attached my apk if anyone wanna test it out.

IDK what it would show on Android, but I cannot even download that .zip in Google Chrome. It blocks it with error "Virus detected" and there is no way to skip this error and download file.

 

[OT Archive]

It looks like you have to deliver app with newest Android API version, but IDK if it will work on old Androids. Like, if you deliver API 35 (Android 15) version app, will it work on Android 11 (API 30)?

You can target a minimal version:

IDK what it would show on Android, but I cannot even download that .zip in Google Chrome. It blocks it with error "Virus detected" and there is no way to skip this error and download file.

Weird, it downloads fine on my devices using Chrome and VirusTotal shows 0 detections.

 

[Gesior.pl]

Weird, it downloads fine on my devices using Chrome and VirusTotal shows 0 detections.

I just noticed, that Chrome blocked download, but it was because Windows Defender detected this as virus (Trojan:Script/Wacatac.B!ml).
VirusTotal shows no virus reports, so it's probably just hash collision and you would need to report this .zip as not virus to Windows Defender to get rid of that
I did this for you:

Submission ID: 4ec508db-8a13-4c1c-b4e5-63d252795466

They should unlock this .zip in 2-5 days.

 

[OT Archive]

I just noticed, that Chrome blocked download, but it was because Windows Defender detected this as virus (Trojan:Script/Wacatac.B!ml).
VirusTotal shows no virus reports, so it's probably just hash collision and you would need to report this .zip as not virus to Windows Defender to get rid of that
I did this for you:

Submission ID: 4ec508db-8a13-4c1c-b4e5-63d252795466

They should unlock this .zip in 2-5 days.

Thanks! But still very weird, I'm running Windows 11 fully updated and scanned the file with Windows Defender and it reported no issues.

 

[Mr.Caffeine]

This is what is needed. A notification will still popup though, asking to scan the app:
View attachment 87727

After the scan you will be given the option to install and it's also possible to skip the scan and install directly.

It's possible that google will start to "recognize" the app after a while and won't show it anymore, I don't know.


Compiled with:

targetSdkVersion 35

I've attached my apk if anyone wanna test it out.

Just changing the targetSdkVersion to 35 in the AndroidManifest will not have any effect. The otclient mobile needs to be compiled with the latest libs, I tried the ones in the image but I'm getting errors when compiling.

 

[Gesior.pl]

The otclient mobile needs to be compiled with the latest libs, I tried the ones in the image but I'm getting errors when compiling.

Did it compile before your changed SDK to 35 version?
OTCv8 does not compile with current vcpkg/official Android SDK files (there is no code for 'ant build' in official SDK). You need VS 2019 SDK (there was installer for Android SDK in VS 2019) files and vcpkg from ~2023. I made copy of these files:

Index of /compile_otcv8

 

[Mr.Caffeine]

Did it compile before your changed SDK to 35 version?
OTCv8 does not compile with current vcpkg/official Android SDK files (there is no code for 'ant build' in official SDK). You need VS 2019 SDK (there was installer for Android SDK in VS 2019) files and vcpkg from ~2023. I made copy of these files:

Index of /compile_otcv8

Thanks for sharing your OTCV8 build files, Gesior. The ones I use are similar, and yes, it compiles if I set the version to Nougat 7.1, (android-25) in the target api.

Even if I change the version in the androidManifest from 29 to 35 it still compiles "android:targetSdkVersion="35" but the app doesn't install afterwards, this doesn't solve the problem.

That's why I believe that more things must be done to be able to compile on the newest version of Androids, perhaps making the most recent libs compatible or other modifications to the source code. This should be something to do in the OTAcademy otclient, as it is reasonable to keep the version updated to the latest android, so new servers that came to use the mobile otclient can avoid having this problem.