Google-led App Defense Alliance joins Linux Foundation, with Meta and Microsoft joining too

The App Defense Alliance (ADA) an initiative set up by Google back in 2019 to combat malicious Android apps infiltrating the Play app store, has formally joined the Joint Development Foundation (JDF), a Linux Foundation project focused on helping organizations working on technical specifications, standards, and related efforts.

The App Defense Alliance had, in fact, already expanded beyond its original Android malware detection roots, covering areas such as malware mitigation, mobile app security assessments (MASA), and cloud app security assessments (CASA). And while its founding members included mobile security firms such as ESET, Lookout and Zimperium, it has ushered in new members through the years including Trend Micro and McAfee.

Today’s news, effectively, sees ADA join an independent foundation, a move designed to open up the appeal to other big tech companies, such as Facebook parent Meta and Microsoft, both of which are now joining the ADA’s steering committee. The ultimate goal is to “improve app security” through fostering greater “collaborative implementation of industry standards,” according to a joint statement today.

But more than that, security best-practices span all platforms, which is why moving to a more neutral home signals the ADA’s transition away from its original guise as an Android-specific security initiative.

“The App Defense Alliance’s move to the Joint Development Foundation reflects our dedication to open collaboration and innovation in the realm of app security,” Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin said in the statement. “By uniting technology leaders and fostering an open ecosystem of cross-platform requirements, we aim to unlock new dimensions of performance and security for the benefit of our community.”