5 app permissions on your smartphone that you have to control

When we install an application on our smartphone, we are always asked to give certain permissions. In most cases, users do not stop to read these permissions they request. We simply accept everything and move on. But, this is a mistake that we should not make. Since it is very important that we read what the application asks us.

Index of contents

5 app permissions on your smartphone that you have to control

The permissions that we give to the applications are necessary for them to work optimally on many occasions. Although, at the same time we are giving them access to sensitive data. In general, applications request permission to access aspects related to the application. So they are not usually strange permissions. But, in the case that we install a malicious application, things are different.

Since one of the most common characteristics of malicious applications is that it asks us for unnecessary permissions. Ask for permissions to access a lot of data or even to have control of the device. So it can be very dangerous if we accept those permissions. This makes it important that you control what they request at all times.

In addition, there are certain permissions that the applications ask us that we should control, to ensure that there is no application that has access to something that should not be on our smartphone. Context is always essential. We have to think about what the application is for, since that will help us determine if we are giving it too many permissions or not.

Microphone

If we download a messaging, chat or audio recording application, it is normal to ask us to have access to the microphone. Since it is necessary for the proper operation of the application. But, if it is a game or a file manager, then there are reasons to be suspicious. Since these types of applications do not need to have access to the microphone of our phone.

So in this type of situation it is good to be suspicious. Since we may find ourselves facing a malicious application that wants to obtain user data. So if it does not make sense for said application or game to ask us for that permission, then you have to be a little suspicious. Because if we give you permission to access the microphone, it has the ability to listen to everything we do at any time. And that's not something we want.

Location / GPS

I'm trying to understand why the game #app needs my gps location, access to my photos and who I'm calling just to let me play #sodoku

- Liz Jones (@LizCrockJones) August 4, 2015

In general, our location is not a surprise. Since in many cases we have GPS activated or if we connect through a WiFi network to the Internet it is very easy to know. But, that does not mean that any application should or can have access to it. Again, context is of great importance in this case.

An application like Google Maps needs to know our location. Since it provides us with routes and directions. But a game, music player, or recipe app doesn't need to know that. Therefore, if when installing such an application and one of the permissions you request is the location permission, there are already reasons for suspicion.

SMS

Unless you are installing an application that helps you manage your SMS messages, it doesn't make much sense for there to be an application that asks you for permission to access your SMS. Since again, this is something that malicious applications regularly request. In this case they can request this permission for various purposes.

On the one hand, to have access to the messages themselves. So that they can read what is in them. Although, it is also seen that they usually have access to SMS and soon many users begin to receive or many promotional and spam SMS. But, it is also the case that there are users who after downloading a malicious application see how they have been subscribed to Premium SMS services. Something that involves a high cost.

Therefore, context is essential. Since it will determine if this application really needs to access the SMS or not. Follow your intuition and think well, as this way you will avoid making a mistake and put your privacy and security at risk.

Contacts

When installing some applications they ask us for permission to access our contacts. Again, the application type determines whether this permission is logical or not. Since an instant messaging or chat application may make sense, to see if any of our contacts are present on the social network. But, they are also likely to use this data to send it to a server.

So it is essential to check if this permission is necessary for that application or if it makes sense given the type of application we are talking about. No game needs to have access to our contacts. And if you ask us, then we know that it is a malicious application. So we must delete it as soon as possible from the phone.

Camera

Another very common thing among malicious applications is that they request permission to access the camera. Something that is certainly dangerous and that we must avoid at all costs. But, again it is the context that helps us determine if it is an application whose intentions are somewhat dubious, or is it a permission that makes sense. The type of application helps us determine it.

Because there are apps that may make sense to have access to the camera, so there should be no problem with them. But, games or file managers or an alarm clock app should not have access to the camera. Because they are likely to seek to take photos of the user without his knowing it. Therefore, take into account the type of application and its functions.

How to manage permissions

It is important that from time to time we review the permissions of the applications. Since in this way we can detect if there is an application that is asking us for permissions that it should not. So a permission management is recommended. In addition, it is something very simple to do, so any user can do it.

In the case that you have an Android phone, the route to follow in this case is Settings > Applications and notifications> Application permissions. There you can see which applications have what permissions and detect if there are any that you think is excessive.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, the route to follow in this case is as follows: Settings> Privacy. So, select a permission type and you can review which applications have access to it. If there are any that you don't want to have that permission or that you think it shouldn't, you can disable it directly.

As you can see, carrying out a good management of the permissions of the applications on our smartphone is not complicated. In addition, it helps us a lot so that the privacy and security of our device and our data is always optimally maintained.