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There are millions of applications available on Google Play and App Store, and we install them according to our needs. While you might think of those apps to be safe as it is coming from a known source, it is not always the case. There are applications that can easily access your private data and misuse it.
We use the phone in a haphazard manner where we do not even know about the apps sitting in the app drawer of it. You should be aware of the apps that are installed on your phone. First of all, the apps from unknown sources should never be installed if they are asking for certain permissions. It can be dangerous for you. Let us look at it in a broad manner.
Installing Apps from Unknown Sources
In need of an application that is not available on the play store or app store, we turn to the browser to search for the APK or IPA installation file. Without knowing the authenticity of the apps, we just install the apps and let them misuse and exploit the system. The applications can easily ask for the permissions and then use the files on your phone as per the need. The apps on the play store and app store are still a lot safer than the unknown sources. So, until and unless you are sure of the authenticity of the application you should not download any of the installation files from an unknown source.
If it is really important for you to install the application then keep these things in mind:
- Do check the authenticity of the application with the reviews on the internet.
- After the installation, the application might ask for permissions that do not even concern the functionality of it. Do not give it permission to access any of your personal information like contacts, location, storage, or more.
- If the application is working without asking for any of the permissions then it is quite safe to use.
There are times when you give permission to the applications and then need to revoke it. If you do not need the application then the simplest method is to just uninstall it. But if you need the application then this is what you need to do at that time:
- Go to Settings of your smartphone.
- Then go to Apps, and find the application and tap on it.
- Tap on permission, and just revoke the permissions that have already been granted.
How Installing Antivirus Helps
That is all you need to do to keep the files safe from that particular application. But what if the other applications are keeping a pin on your private information? Well, you can go, check and revoke the permissions of each of the applications that you have some suspicion on. But that is really a long and tiring process, so keeping an antivirus can solve your issues. The mobile antivirus keeps a track of the applications being installed on the phone and can give you the gist of information about the access permissions of different apps to the phone system in one place. It also gives you real-time notification of the applications that are currently accessing the system.
Therefore, keeping antivirus can help you a lot with malicious applications. There are a whole lot of other benefits of keeping an antivirus like anti-theft features, protecting it from viruses, and more, so keeping it is always a smart idea.
Perks If You Have Android 10
Android 10 has the option to give permission only while the app is active. It is mostly saved for sensitive permissions like microphone, location, and similar permissions. Thus, you can give an app access to your location but only while the app is active in the foreground. It is recommended for every user to give this permission to the applications. With this, you can at least live without any worries about the misuse of your private information when you are not using the application.
This feature has become a necessity with some of the popular applications exploiting the microphone, camera, and contacts of the phone. The only thing it lacks is that the permission of storage has not the option of being used only then the app is active. Therefore, for storage, you need to keep precautions and keep only the applications that are safe.
Data Safety
Now, you already know how to keep your phone safe from the suspicious application. The play store and app store keeps a track of the apps that are on the platform so they are quite safe. Therefore, installing applications from the app store and play store should be your first choice. Do not fall for the cracked versions, and free versions of the application found on the internet. Those apps can bring much more loss to you than it can benefit.
It is also recommended to keep checking the applications that you keep on your phone. Keeping unnecessary apps should be avoided, and only the apps that are of some use for you should be kept. It will not only increase the space, or increase the speed of the phone but also save it from the suspicious apps.
Conclusion
Technology is getting advanced every day and that is why the dark side of it is also elevating. The data on your phone can be used for the purpose of revenue for many of the fraud companies that exist on the internet. The companies that are not even legal can misuse your data for greater benefits, and you will have no idea about it.
There are millions of applications available on the internet and that is why it is tough to know about each of the applications. The data of every individual is important and it should not be misused at any cost. The next time you install an application, do keep these things in your mind and the steps that you need to take to keep it safe.
As a content strategist and writer associated with Sagenext, Vishwa does more than just stringing letters together into words. His core competency lies in producing useful and amazing content related to technology trends, business, cloud computing, Quickbooks hosting, and finance. With a soft-corner for anything and everything that has wheels and engines, he’s often seen riding his motorcycle on beautiful country roads.
