Package
com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife
VPN by Google
10device profiles
37observations
35user-facing hits
2 Jun 2026last seen
Package intelligence
Observed signing, permission, version and size signals from contributing devices - descriptive of that sample, not a verdict. These come from the v2 Package Search sync, which not every device has contributed to yet, so for some packages this detail is partial or not present at all.
1
signing cert
consistent across devices
22
permissions
largest set observed
2.6 MB – 7.7 MB
APK size
33 – 36
target SDK
STUB → 2025.12.19.855749430.3-release
versions observed
6
device profiles
- Signed by Google's own signing key (the same key Google uses across devices), so it is a Google-provided preinstall that updates independently of the system image, and that single certificate is consistent across all 6 device profiles.
- Its largest observed manifest declares 22 permissions: 5 runtime (user-granted), 2 signature or system-level, 8 install-time and 7 vendor or uncatalogued.
- APK size ranges from 2.6 MB to 7.7 MB across the reporting device profiles, so the build differs substantially between them.
- Reported as an updated system app on 25 of 6 profiles - a newer build is installed over the one in the system image there.
Declared permissions (22)
Largest permission set observed for this package. Text is Android's own published description where one exists; platform permissions Android does not document show their granted protection level (in grey) instead; vendor or unknown constants show the name only.
| Permission | Description |
|---|---|
ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION |
This app can access location at any time, even while the app is not in use. |
ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION |
This app can get your approximate location from location services while the app is in use. Location services for your device must be turned on for the app to get location. |
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION |
This app can get your precise location from location services while the app is in use. Location services for your device must be turned on for the app to get location. This may increase battery usage. |
ACCESS_LOCAL_NETWORK |
- |
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE |
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected. |
ACCESS_WIFI_STATE |
Allows the app to view information about Wi-Fi networking, such as whether Wi-Fi is enabled and name of connected Wi-Fi devices. |
CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE |
Allows the app to change the state of network connectivity. |
CONTROL_VPN |
Signature or privileged system permission. |
FOREGROUND_SERVICE |
Allows the app to make use of foreground services. |
INTERNET |
Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet. |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS |
Allows the app to show notifications |
QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES |
Allows an app to see all installed packages. |
READ_PHONE_STATE |
Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. This permission allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call. |
RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED |
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running. |
USE_LOOPBACK_INTERFACE |
- |
VIBRATE |
Allows the app to control the vibrator. |
WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS |
Signature or privileged system permission. |
com.android.vending.setup.PLAY_SETUP_SERVICE |
- |
com.google.android.wildlife.permission.ADVANCED_VPN_CONFIG |
- |
com.google.android.wildlife.permission.UPDATE_NETWORK_MONITOR |
- |
com.google.android.wildlife.permission.UPDATE_PACKAGE_MONITOR |
- |
com.google.android.wildlife.permission.VPN_APP_EXCLUSION_LAUNCH |
- |
Manage on devices
ADB commands for this package (the inverse of each is included so you can undo). Run from an authorised shell or wire the equivalent into your DPC. Verify on a test device first - this database doesn’t yet classify which packages are safe to change. --user 0 targets the current user; drop it (and use a privileged shell) to act device-wide.
Disable for the current user
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife
Remove for the current user - a per-user uninstall; the APK stays on
/system, so Restore re-adds it (-k keeps app data)adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife
Re-enable
adb shell pm enable com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife
Restore (re-install for the current user)
adb shell pm install-existing com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife
Seen on
Each record is a device profile (make + model + Android version). Each unique handset that syncs against a matching profile will increase the observations of a package, thereby increasing confidence that a package is expected to be on a device.
| OEM | Model | Android | Provenance | Observations | Last seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel 10 Pro | Android 16 | 1 1 user-facing | 26 Mar 2026 | ||
| Pixel 10 Pro | Android 17 | 1 1 user-facing | 1 Jun 2026 | ||
| Pixel 7 | Android 13 | 1 | 19 Feb 2026 | ||
| Pixel 7 Pro | Android 16 | 1 1 user-facing | 9 Mar 2026 | ||
| Pixel 8 | Android 16 | - | 4 4 user-facing | 1 Jun 2026 | |
| Pixel 8a | Android 15 | - | 1 1 user-facing | 5 Oct 2025 | |
| Pixel 9 Pro XL | Android 16 | 21 20 user-facing | 29 Mar 2026 | ||
| Pixel 9 Pro XL | Android 17 | 2 2 user-facing | 2 Jun 2026 | ||
| Pixel 9a | Android 15 | - | 1 1 user-facing | 15 Jun 2025 | |
| Pixel 9a | Android 16 | - | 4 4 user-facing | 28 Nov 2025 |
Known labels
Locale-aware display names seen in the wild.
| Label | Locale | Seen |
|---|---|---|
| VPN by Google | en-us | 23 |
| VPN van Google | nl-NL | 12 |
| VPN by Google | en | 9 |
| VPN by Google | en-gb | 7 |
| VPN by Google | en-GB | 4 |
| VPN van Google | nl-nl | 3 |
| VPN by Google | 1 | |
| VPN by Google | en-ca-u-fw-mon-mu-celsius | 1 |
| VPN by Google | en-us-u-fw-mon-ms-ussystem-mu-fahrenhe | 1 |
| com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife | en | 1 |
| com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife | en-au | 1 |