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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →On November 8, 2023, Google, Meta and Microsoft were named the founding steering committee of a restructured App Defense Alliance (ADA) under the Joint Development Foundation (JDF), part of the Linux Foundation family. The organizations said the change was intended to help companies collaborate on implementing app-security standards across ecosystems. It was an announced goal, not proof that security outcomes improved.
What changed in November 2023?
The Linux Foundation announced that Google, Microsoft and Meta would serve as the founding steering committee for the ADA under JDF. The Alliance’s stated focus broadened from work centered on Android app safety toward collaborative implementation of industry standards for app security. The announcement described the move as a way to strengthen security and related standards across ecosystems, but did not report measured effects. Read the Linux Foundation announcement.
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Google described the move as bringing the ADA under the Linux Foundation umbrella and said it could support broader threat-intelligence sharing among ecosystem partners and researchers. Google separately committed to continue direct signal sharing with Malware Mitigation Program members ESET, Lookout, McAfee, Trend Micro and Zimperium. That specific continuity commitment should not be confused with the broader, expected benefit of sharing across the Alliance. Google’s November 8, 2023 post.
What is the App Defense Alliance?
The ADA began in 2019 under Google, focused on protecting Google Play and the Android app ecosystem through malware detection and prevention. Its scope expanded in 2022 as attention to app-security standards grew. By the 2023 announcement, the Alliance included Malware Mitigation and App Security Assessments for mobile and cloud applications.
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JDF provides a framework for organizations developing technical specifications, standards, data sets and source code, and its current project listing includes the ADA. This makes JDF the Alliance’s organizational home within the Linux Foundation family. The cited announcements do not specify detailed governance arrangements or establish that the move changed the ADA’s legal form. JDF’s description of its framework and its project listing.
Who was involved?
Founding steering committee
The announced founding steering committee comprised Google, Meta and Microsoft. The Linux Foundation release listed these General and Contributor Members: BishopFox, DEKRA, ESET, KPMG, Leviathan, Lookout, McAfee, NCC Group, NetSentries Technologies FZCO, NowSecure, Orange Cyberdefense South Africa Ltd, Prescient Security, PwC, Schellman, TAC Security, Trend Micro and Zimperium.
The contemporaneous announcements disagree on the count: the Linux Foundation said there were 17 General and Contributor Members, while Google said 16. The Linux Foundation’s visible list contains 17 organizations, so the list is clearer than presenting either count without qualification.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhat has the Alliance done since the move?
A May 7, 2026 Linux Foundation update documented later standards and certification activity. The ADA had released the Cloud Application Security Assessment (CASA) web-application security standard and a cloud-configuration standard; AI and desktop application security assessments were described as under development. The 2026 announcement also reported the launch of a public directory containing 45 mobile applications certified through MASA. That is the directory’s launch-date count, not a current total.
This later activity shows that standards and certification work was documented after the 2023 restructuring. It does not, by itself, establish that the move achieved its broader aims or quantify its effect on app safety.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does this mean for app developers?
The practical route depends on the type of application and the assessment you need. The announcements identify assessment work for mobile and cloud applications, but do not rank providers or establish that every app must obtain certification.
- Mobile apps: Look at the Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) route and its certification directory if you need to understand the mobile assessment option.
- Cloud or web applications: CASA is the named web-application security standard. The 2026 update also identified a cloud-configuration standard.
- AI or desktop applications: The 2026 update described these assessment areas as under development, so it did not establish a released assessment route.
The ADA’s 2023 member list includes security firms, but membership alone is not evidence of an endorsement or a ranking. Select an assessor based on your application, the relevant standard and your own requirements.
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