– Take pictures and video: Allows the app to use the camera at any time – Record audio: Allows the app to record audio with the microphone at any time – Precise location: Allows the app to get a precise location, using GPS or network location sources – Write to SD card: Allows the app to modify or delete an SD card’s contents – Read SD card: Allows the app to read the contents of an SD card – Read phone status: Allows the app to access the device’s internal features, such as phone numbers and device IDs – Read contacts: Allows the app to read data about contacts stored on that device – Find accounts: Allows the app to access the list of accounts known by that phone
But which permissions are high-risk and how so? Here’s a list of regularly accepted permissions on Android that Wandera considers as carrying higher risk:
Some app permissions are riskier than others, so users need to pay attention to the permissions they grant.Īccording to Wandera’s study, “Understanding the mobile threat landscape,” 45% of the most requested permissions on Android are considered high-risk. App permissions determine what functions an app has access to on a user's device. One way data can leak is through excessive app permissions.
Personal or corporate data can funnel to unscrupulous third-parties from unsafe apps. Apps can be compromised.Ĭompromised apps can lead to data leaks. And while some are safe and treat personal data with the utmost care, many are unsafe. There are millions of Android apps available in the Google Play store.