PHA (Potentially Harmful Application)

• Roughly- but not quite- equivalent to what industry considers malware
• Apps that can harm users, users devices, users data
• Like root application

MUWS (Mobile Unwanted Software)

• equivalent to annoying behaviors
• Think apps that make device less fun to use
• Like advertising spam, data collection softwares (Not sensitive data) (like apps which using MAC address to identify unique users)

Policy Violations

• Anything else that Google does not want on Google Play
• Porn, gambling, violence, copyright infringement, legal restrictions, …

PHA Categories

Backdoor:

Code that allows to execution of unwanted, potentially harmful, remote-controlled operations on a device.

Billing Fraud:

Code that automatically charges the user in an intentionally deceptive way.

Mobile billing fraud is divided into SMS fraud, Call fraud, and Toll fraud.

Call fraud is process of malware calling to a premium number. this is not anymore existence in android.

SMS fraud is like Call fraud but in SMS. In these days it’s very hard to implement because of new protections in platform.

Toll pay is a feature which is support in some countries to pay something with your phone charge bill. Toll fraud is process of abusing this feature.