Google may make Android’s root store updatable via Play services on Android 14: report

Google is reportedly working on the ability to update Android’s root store via Google Play Store on Android 14. The search giant’s current mechanism updates root certificates only as part of full system updates, which which could make devices running on older versions of Android unable to connect to the internet. when expired root certificates are not recognized.

According to a report by AndroidPolice citing a Tweeter by Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, Google may be working on root certificate modules to be introduced via Google Play Services updates. Root certificates are used to authenticate the connection of Android system devices to establish secure connections. Introducing root certificate modules through Google Play Services will allow Google to push these updates as needed while preventing older models from falling completely out of the trust grid.

The development could have been triggered by a particular root certificate authority, TrustCor, making headlines for allegedly having ties to a company known to provide spyware intelligence services. Google has since started removing support for TrustCor certificates on its devices.

The Google Chrome desktop version 111 update will mark the removal of root certificates issued by TrustCor as trusted. However, in the case of Android, the change could take longer because its root certificates cannot be updated independently, a blog post by Mishaal Rahman added.

The latest development seeks to change that with the search giant working on consolidating root certificate updates to its Google Play Store services updates which are released as the business needs them.

However, it’s important to note that there has been no official confirmation from Google about its plans to push routine root certification updates through Play Store Services.

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