IT House, May 4 news, according to Android Police, Android's accessibility service is designed to help users with disabilities, but this set of tools is so powerful that other applications often use it to enable compelling features. Unfortunately, accessibility services are also often portals for malware to control calls or obtain personal data. In Android 13, Google is further cracking down on access to accessibility services, making it harder for side-loaded apps to gain access.
Android 13 introduces new restrictions on sideloaded apps, preventing users from granting them the right to use accessible services. Given that many phishing and malware attacks are carried out by tricking users into installing APKs from outside the app store, this can make it harder for bad actors to hijack unsuspecting users' phones.
However, Google has not completely blocked the use of accessibility services for side-loaded apps. Once you enter the dialog box stating that the accessibility services for the relevant application are restricted, you can activate access under the application information screen in the upper right corner via the "Allow Restricted Settings" menu entry, so if you are an advanced user interested in enhancing your phone with a legitimate application, you can still do so. This appears to be a vulnerability that a malicious application can circumvent by instructing the user to enable restricted settings. As a result, it is still possible for Google to change this behavior before the stable Android 13 goes live.
The new rule has implications for apps that users also have in the Play Store. When we sideload an older version of Sleep as Android from APK Mirror, it uses accessibility services to prevent turning off the phone when we try to turn off an alarm, unable to enable accessibility services, even if it is updated to the latest version available through the Play Store.
While users can still access accessibility services in Android 13 Beta 1 using the workaround described earlier, this is an extra step for those who side-upload the app to the latest state before the Play Store rolls out.
It should also be noted that Google only restricts side-loaded applications. If you use an alternative app distribution platform like F-Droid or amazon appstore, you won't experience accessibility restrictions, and Google may think that apps in the app store are at least to some extent filtered.
Also, by default, apps distributed in the Google Play Store simply can't use accessibility services unless they're created specifically for accessibility. While other app developers can prove to Google through a lengthy process that their apps have been greatly enhanced through accessibility services, they can still request exemptions, but in general, Google strongly opposes the use of accessibility services. In fact, the call log app is the latest to feel these limitations, and Google no longer allows them to record phone calls using accessibility services.