If you ever download apps, you need to make sure they are not secretly spying on you.
It may sound far-fetched, but rogue apps can be secretly stalking you — and you need to know the signs.
Be sure to keep track of the permissions you grant apps. Photo credit: Google
The US Sun spoke to cyber expert Erich Kron, who revealed how to find out when it’s happening.
It comes just days after it was revealed that a popular Android app was secretly logging users.
Apps often demand “permissions” to access sensitive parts of your phone – but criminals can “abuse” them in eerie ways.
“Modern phone operating systems are much better at informing people about what services are being used,” said Erich, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4.
“Typically, upon installation, you’ll see a request letting you know that an application wants to use a service.
“And many of them now show little icons in the status bar showing what services are being used.”
How do permissions work?
Apps often request privacy permissions for very good reasons.
You need to give an app like Uber or Google Maps access to your location or it won’t work properly.
Apps like Instagram and TikTok also benefit from access to microphones, cameras and photo rolls.
However, it poses a problem when an app requests a privacy permission that just doesn’t make sense.
When a calculator app requests access to your microphone and it’s not clear why, it could be a dangerous sign that something is wrong.
How to check an Android app’s permissions
Luckily, editing your app permissions is very easy
Go to the Settings app on your Android phone, then tap Apps or See All Apps.
Now select an app and then tap Permissions.
You can then easily change the app permissions requested by the app.
Keep in mind that there are often several options for a permit.
For example, you can choose:
Always Allow only while the app is in use. Always ask. Don’t allow
Try the one that feels best and you can always adjust later.
It’s also possible to edit app permissions by permission type rather than by app.
Go to Settings > Privacy > Permissions manager and then tap the permission type, e.g. B. Microphone.
This is a good way to review all apps that have access to a certain type of permission, such as your camera or location.
It is one of the best Android privacy hacks. Therefore, check these settings regularly.
How to Check iPhone App Permissions
First you need to make sure you are at least updated to iOS 15.2 by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Then go to Settings > Privacy > App Privacy and enable the report.
You can always check this report to see which apps are accessing your personal data and how often.
And you can also instantly see when an app is using your camera or microphone.
Just look for an orange or green dot at the top of your screen that indicates your microphone or camera is in use.
Pay attention to these points and investigate them if anything seems suspicious.
If you are unhappy with an app’s access to certain parts of your device, you can revoke permissions at any time.
Just go to Settings > Privacy & Security and tap on the part of your phone you want to examine.
You can then turn apps on or off for specific permissions.
