APK file verification, device settings, and the post-install check.
APK file verification, device settings, and the post-install check. The slow read before any side-loaded install, with a SHA-256 example.
Verify the SHA-256 hash before opening the APK.
The first check: the SHA-256 hash. The second: the package name. The third: the certificate. The fourth: the file size.
The first check is the SHA-256 hash. The official download page lists the hash at the top; the file manager on the device can compute the hash on the downloaded file. If the two hashes match, the file is the one the page is serving. If they do not match, delete the file and contact customer care.
The second check is the package name. The official package is com.consider11.app; the file manager shows the package name on the file properties. If the package name is different, the file is not the official APK. The third check is the certificate; the fourth is the file size. All four are on the download page; the read takes about three minutes.
The device settings, and the small list of habits that protect the install.
The two settings to check before the install: "Install unknown apps" for the file manager, and the "Verify apps" toggle.
Before the install, check the device settings. The "Install unknown apps" toggle is on the file manager that will open the APK; the toggle is on the developer settings or the security settings, depending on the device. Turn the toggle on, install the APK, and turn the toggle off again.
The "Verify apps" toggle is on the security settings. The toggle is on by default; reading the toggle is the cheapest way to know the device will warn about a non-official source. The warning is a feature, not a bug.