{"id":22116,"date":"2016-04-06T13:23:51","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T05:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/?p=22116"},"modified":"2016-04-06T13:24:39","modified_gmt":"2016-04-06T05:24:39","slug":"1-5-signing-away-privacy-installing-new-app-kaspersky-labs-quiz-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/2016\/04\/06\/1-5-signing-away-privacy-installing-new-app-kaspersky-labs-quiz-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"1 in 5 could be signing away privacy when installing new app, Kaspersky Lab\u2019s Quiz shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kaspersky Lab discovered that consumers are installing apps on their devices without being aware of the potential consequences. Sixty-three percent of consumers neglect to read the license agreement carefully before installing a new app on their phone, and one-in-five (20%) never read messages when installing apps; they simply go through the motions of clicking \u2018next\u2019 and \u2018agree\u2019, without understanding what they could be signing up to.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kaspersky\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Kaspersky Lab\u2019s \u201cAre you cyber savvy?\u201d Quiz<\/a>, questioned 18,507 consumers, including 1,394 from the Philippines, about their online habits and found that an alarming number of consumers are leaving their privacy \u2013 and the data on their phones \u2013 exposed to cyberthreats because they are not installing apps on their devices safely.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When users neglect to read license agreements or messages during the app install process, they do not know what they are agreeing to.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInternet users are entrusting their devices with sensitive information about themselves and others \u2013 such as contacts, private messaging etc., yet they are failing to ensure that their information is entirely safe. This can turn their devices into their \u2018digital frenemies\u2019,\u201d said\u00a0David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cBecause they are not taking precautions when they install apps, many consumers are granting apps permission to intrude on their private lives, watch what is stored on their devices and where they are, install additional unwanted apps and make changes to their devices, right from the moment of installation. At Kaspersky Lab, we want to help consumers become more cyber-savvy, and protect their precious data \u2013 and themselves \u2013 from these dangers.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Some apps can affect user privacy, prompt the installation of other apps, or even change the OS settings of a device completely legally, because the user has \u2018agreed\u2019 to it during the install process. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The quiz also discovered that just under half (43%) of users could be at risk from the apps on their mobile device, because they are not \u2018cyber-savvy\u2019 enough to limit app permissions when installing apps. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fifteen percent\u00a0of respondents to the quiz do not limit what their apps can do on their phone at all and 17% give apps permissions when prompted, but then forget about it, while 11% think they can\u2019t change those permissions. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When app permissions are left unchecked, it is possible \u2013 and legal \u2013 for apps to access the personal and private data on mobile devices, from contact information, to photos and location data.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSmartphone penetration in the Philippines is continuously growing and so are threats. Most apps are conveniently free and can be installed on any device in just one click. But not all 38 million of Filipino mobile users are careful and most are unaware that mobile apps are not always what they exactly seem to be. We cannot stress enough how critical it is that users need to be more mindful of any intrusion into their devices and into their private lives,\u201d said\u00a0Anthony Chua, territory channel manager for the Philippines and Singapore at Kaspersky Lab Southeast Asia.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To protect themselves consumers should:<\/span><\/p>\n