APK source checks: identity, hashes and India guidance

Four different things worth checking

Source identity
Match the download channel with the publisher. HTTPS protects the connection but does not establish who made the app.
File identity
Compare exact bytes, size and SHA-256 with a trusted record. A matching hash establishes the same file, rather than a guarantee about its behaviour.
Signing identity
Compare the release certificate with the installed app and any publisher-documented key history. Extracting a fingerprint is separate from validating a cryptographic signature.
Device access
Read permission requests in context. Decide whether a requested capability is needed for the feature you choose.

Keep Play Protect part of the process

Google Play Protect can inspect apps from outside Google Play and flag potentially harmful behaviour. Stop to investigate a warning or blocked installation. Avoid bypass steps that remove device protection.

A scan is one signal alongside publisher identity, file provenance and permissions. A logo, star graphic or “safe” badge on a download page cannot replace those checks.

India: check the actual game format

The government’s 2025 online gaming framework prohibits online money games and their promotion. The 2026 Rules, effective from 1 May 2026, describe a mechanism for distinguishing prohibited money games from permissible social games and e-sports.

Choose permitted social play. A game name, age badge or “skill” label does not establish the provider’s status. Read its actual format and published determination or registration information where applicable. This directory’s inclusion of a name is not a legal classification.

Keep evidence tied to the right file

Record the distribution URL, file hash, measurement date and release metadata together. If a source changes the bytes at the same URL, the earlier hash still describes the earlier file.

Read how this hub records evidence →

Sources and scope

Sources reviewed on 23 October 2026. Android menus and publisher releases can change. Card examples explain common conventions; the selected table’s own published rules govern its format.