It appears that Huawei, Honor, and Vivo's security tools are flagging the Google app as a potential threat. Users of these brands' devices have begun receiving security alerts warning of a suspected Trojan in the Google app. according to the notice shared by Stack Diary.
The alarm has been raised for Huawei's Optimizer app and Vivo's iManager. Both security apps have begun identifying the Google app as dangerous, claiming it contains a Trojan called TrojanSMS-PA. This alleged malware is said to be capable of sending SMS text messages without the user's consent, collecting personal data, and surreptitiously downloading and installing other apps.
This problem is not an isolated case. Many users have shared their concerns on Google support forums, Reddit and in the Huawei communityWhile the possibility that the Google app is actually a threat is considered unlikely, the fact that these brands' security tools flag it as such is cause for concern.
The most widely accepted theory so far is that it's a false positive caused by a faulty signature in Huawei and Vivo's security apps. However, what's puzzling is that neither Google nor the device manufacturers have addressed the issue, despite early reports about it. date from October 25.
For affected users, there are some temporary solutions available. It's suggested to clear the cache and data of the Optimizer app and restart the device. While there are no confirmed reports on whether this method works for Vivo's iManager, it's likely effective as well. Another alternative is to uninstall the latest update of the Google app to prevent the alerts.