More Than 1300 Android Apps Steal User Data Without Permission
By: Jim Stickley and Tina Davis
November 19, 2019
Data collection is big business, and the latest research findings show it’s going on despite user objections. The International Computer Science Institute reports finding over 1,300 apps in Google Play Store are hiding on mobile Android devices. The apps are secretly stealing data even after being denied permission by t
he user. In a world where data collection is aggressive and pervasive, those who choose to deny access to their data are finding it’s happening anyway.
Installing an app often comes with many requests to take data from other sources on a device. It takes attention to those permissions as they frequently pop-up during downloading. Security-savvy users know to deny the onslaught of requests they receive, as they can lead to accessing private information of not only their data, but also that of their contacts. It’s an ongoing cat-and-mouse game that can lead to their personal information being distributed to others who may not have their cybersecurity in mind.
Over 88,000 apps in Google Play Store were investigated and 1,325 were discovered using ways to get around user permission by accessing things like the meta data stored in Wi-Fi and photos, even if they were denied access. The apps involved are third party apps, which are those that don’t come installed by a device operating system. Even the most benign apps you can imagine are involved in data harvesting. Stop and think about it. Does a flashlight app need to know your location or need video and voice access? It just doesn’t make sense for some apps to need, or to even ask, for those permissions–but they do it anyway. On the other hand, if you download a geo-location app for directions, it makes sense it would ask for access to your location information, and you should always grant that permission based on the app’s need to know…and only then.
Upon their discoveries, the researchers notified Google about their findings. Google responded to the findings by saying the pervasive data collection issue will be addressed in Android 10 (formerly known as Android Q) which was recently released. Android Q will hide location data in photos and make Wi-Fi data permission mandatory. It’s important, if you want your data more protected to apply it immediately.
In the meantime, deleting apps you know longer use helps limit data collection, especially for the information you didn’t agree to expose. Paying close attention to requests for data that doesn’t make sense for an app to have is the best way to keep your personal information where it belongs–secured.
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