App Permissions Posing a Great Threat to Security

From gaming application to banking application, from personal use to business use, from child to adult, a commonly used most popular word everyone would found. Its MOBILE PHONE.  

Yes, mobile phones or say smart phones nowadays are mostly used among any gadgets. There is a huge increase in use of smartphone in India from 524.9 million in 2013 to 813.2 million in 2019 and this is in urge of increment.

(Data in millions)

With increase in smart phones bring increase in number of mobile apps. Currently 2.8 millions apps are available for download in Google Play Store and about 2.2 million apps in Apple App Store. A normal person has about 60-90 apps installed on his/her smartphone but not use all of them. The ones in use are very less.

All apps present on the play store or app store are not secure. Every 5 out of 7 apps in play store are infected and so every 3 out of 7 in apple app store. This means that we are really surrounded with malicious actors.

Now let’s talk about how an app could be really dangerous. You might have noticed that apps ask you for the various permission for their proper functioning before they execute. 

Have you ever paid attention to these permissions that app is asking you or you just provide with all…

IF YOU HAVEN’T, THEN YOU MUST

If you carefully observe the permission asked by app the result could be eye raising. Many apps ask for the permission which it does not even required for its performance. Apps ask permission for Storage, Camera, Microphone, Contact, Gallery, etc. and about the whole device. And once you allow access to these permissions, then you are inviting more serious threat.

Be very cautious while installing any app especially when you have sensitive data in your smartphone like payment application, or any application having PII. Although, not only the Banking details are sensitive but also all your personal details (PII) are sensitive. 

Let’s consider a case of two antivirus apps' permission. One is legitimate while other is some fake AV.

   

You can see in the second image the AV is asking you for read confidential calendar data, modify and read your contacts, location, google play license while in first image there is no such permission required. Here is the difference when we overlook the permission and this is how the app steal your data that also with your concern. Some apps even collect data without asking for permission like was in case of Tik Tok, the app was collecting personal data along with the location but never asker for it.

Let's look what people say HOW THEY DECIDE TO GIVE PERMISSION TO APPS??

 According to the functionality of app, no extra permissions should be given like camera, microphone, accessibility, especially location. I have noticed a lot of time I am surfing web or shopping app for a product and booommm, I can see that product in every other website and app's ads. No contact permission to any app except calling app. -Jitesh Chaudhary 

 Based on the type of app and what permissions it requires to function like if the app is for online food delivery then it need my geo location but if it ask for Camera and Gallery also, there might be something wrong with the app. And also I do trust app installed from play store and if the app is from any third party website then it would be suspicious. -Aditya Raj

 

 To allow only those permission which are required so that there is no threat to my information. Allowing access to contact, location, storage doesn't feels good. -Deepshikha Chaudhary

 Like instagram ask permission to control camera and location which is believed or obvious but some apps ask permission for contacts and read messages which should not be granted ...same as Google accounts that they use to login to most of their apps and social networks which creates a vulnerability. -Dimple Jha

 Looking what type of app is and what must be required for it.Lets talk about wallpaper app that required storage permission only. If it is asking for contacts, Location, Microphone etc. then must not be provided. -Aman Saini

 I give only the permissions that don't steal my personal data or that are useful for the app to being worked or otherwise it ask any personal type permissions I won't allow or I cancel that app from being installed. -Prerna Sharma

 If app is gaming one, allow microphone and storage while for transportation apps, only partial location permission is sufficient. -Sahid Khan

 Restrict data usage for apps that doesn't need internet connection like in case of local media player. -Mohammad Ariz Khan

 I think that depends app to app. -Rachana 

Privacy matters a lot and mobile apps nowadays are the major threat to privacy. To keep your privacy and data intact, try to install less number of apps and before installing check the permission it is asking for and provide them with least privileges. It is one of the base of security.