Cybersecurity Awareness Tip 29: Remove Unused and Review Permissions for Mobile Apps

Mobile apps change frequently, and many users simply accept the changes and install the updates.  After all, it's important to keep apps updated, right?  Users of the Android Barcode Scanner app found on the hard way: app owners change and some app updates are malicious.

Change Isn't Always Good

As part of your annual cybersecurity preparedness review, check the app permissions.  As PC World notes, "Does that Sudoku app really need access to your contacts, camera function, and location information?" VPN provider Private Internet Access explains how to review mobile app permissions on both Android and iOS devices. You can view and changes permissions by app and apps by permission.

Remove Unused Apps

Removing unused apps has several benefits:

• Increases available storage
• Reduces bandwidth usage due to updates and update checks
• Reduces opportunities for malicious updates due to ownership changes, hacks or accidental or intentional changes that compromise your privacy and / or security

For Android, SwampGeek recommends the Files by Google app. This app offers multiple options to clean your phone, and will periodically prompt you to delete unused apps.

iOS offers the ability to automatically offload unused apps, which addresses the benefits of removing with the option of restoring unused apps at a later time.