Mobile Apps May Leave Data Unsecured. Most Mobile apps these days make use of cloud storage to minimize their footprint on your mobile device. That’s good in theory, but based on new research from Zimperium, a disappointing percentage of mobile app developers don’t do nearly enough to secure the data they’re housing for you. A recent study indicated that fully 14 percent of iOS and Android mobile apps that use cloud storage had insecure configurations or were otherwise vulnerable to third parties’ attacks and Mobile Apps May Leave Data Unsecured.
Naturally, depending on the exact nature of the mobile apps you use, the heart of the mobile apps’ data will vary markedly. Thus, hackers who breach those unsecured cloud storage systems may wind up with little more than your email address and your latest high score on whatever game you’re obsessed with at the moment, or they could wind up with sensitive financial and health-related data.
It should noteworthy, though, that even relatively innocent mobile apps like games (that don’t keep much in the way of personal information) often ask for and receive a wide range of intrusive permissions on your mobile device. That means the developers of those mobile apps could be harvesting a lot of more sensitive data you weren’t even aware of.
Two Things You Should Be Aware Of
The study puts the exclamation point on the end of two very important points that are well worth remembering. It pays to read every mobile app’s terms of service agreement, monitor what permissions every app you install asks for, and selectively deny permissions you deem to be a bit too intrusive for your comfort.
Second, it’s well worth taking a bit of extra time to uninstall any mobile app that you lose interest in and stop using. By keeping it on your mobile device, thinking you’ll get back to it later, you’re increasing your exposure and increasing your risk.
