Android System Key Verifier is another new app that Google installs on Android smartphones. Find out more about it and how it works
A number of Xiaomi phone owners have recently complained that the "Android System Key Verifier" app has unintentionally installed itself on their devices. This app's unexpected appearance has sparked inquiries about its origin, intent, and possible security threats. However, there is nothing to worry about.
The app Android System Key Verifier is not harmful. While the automatic installation of the app may raise confusion and concerns about its privacy and security implications on Xiaomi devices, it is yet another app in the Google ecosystem. What exactly does it do? What is its purpose? Why is it installed in such a suspicious manner? We will try to answer all these questions below.
Has the Android System Key Verifier app installed itself on your Xiaomi or any other Android phone from any other brand? It is a Google app and part of the Android security system. In fact, it appears in the official APK Transparency document of Google for developers. So it is not strange or malicious.
It doesn't have a graphical interface like regular apps, which is why you can't open it. It's very similar to Android System SafetyCore in that sense, although its main function is completely different. Of course, it will be installed automatically on your phone because you agreed to Google's terms of service when you logged in with your Google account on Android.
If you read these terms carefully, you will find that one of the permissions you are granting is to allow Google to automatically install or update Android security services, and Android System Key Verifier is one of them.
- What is Android System Key Verifier and what are its uses?
Android System Key Verifier is a contact verification service that makes sure you are talking to the real people you want to talk to and not a bot or scammer. It is available on all devices running Android 10 or higher that have updated Google services.
The way it works is a bit strange, so let us explain it to you in detail… Once you install Android System Key Verifier on your phone, a feature is added to the system that allows compatible apps (at the moment, only the Google Messages app) to store end-to-end encryption keys on your device.
At the same time, a user interface is added that is displayed when you want to share your end-to-end encryption keys with other people in the form of a QR code. This interface is also used to scan QR codes of this type that have been provided by other people.
The point of all this is that when you create a contact, you can scan that contact’s QR code to link it to their device. That way, your number/account will be linked to your device via the code. If you receive a message from that contact that comes from their number, but not their device (or vice versa), Google will warn you that it might be a scam or a bot.
What if only the contact has changed? In this case, their keys will not match, so you will have to scan the QR code from the beginning on your new device to avoid false positives. By the way, your contacts should also scan the Android System Key Verifier QR code to ensure the correct operation of this security system.
- Should you uninstall Android System Key Verifier?
Unlike the system apps that come pre-installed, Android System Key Verifier can be completely uninstalled. However, I don’t recommend doing so because, in the end, it’s an official Google security app that offers an interesting service to have 100% private conversations. Plus, it only takes up about 50MB on your phone.