In a digital world where everything is just a click away, convenience can easily turn into a threat. While the apps on our phones are supposed to make life easier, some can become silent thieves of personal data and money.
The modern world relies more and more on smartphones and applications that make everyday life easier. Shopping, communication, but also entertainment takes place in a few clicks.
However, not every app is secure. Some of them can endanger not only your data, but also your finances. If you’re using apps with a dubious reputation on your device, it might be time to get rid of them before it’s too late.
On video from Check out Skelett on YouTube about dangerous apps that you should never download:
Source: Youtube
Beware of applications of dubious origin
At first glance, they may look like harmless tools for photo editing, battery optimization or weather monitoring. However, they can actually serve as a vehicle for identity theft. They often come from unknown developers, don’t have enough reviews, and their descriptions are full of grammatical errors. These apps may download other malicious content or silently collect information about the user.
How to recognize them
Pay close attention to the permissions the app requests. For example, if a battery app requests access to your contacts or microphone, that’s a red flag. The first step is always to check reviews and downloads. However, even this may not be reliable as some malicious apps have false positives.
Malicious applications spread quickly
Many dangerous apps masquerade as popular tools, such as system cleaners or performance boosters. In fact, they can slow down devices and put users at risk of attack.
Once a user installs them, they start making unauthorized transactions or displaying aggressive ads. An example would be an app that offers free benefits but tracks all your activities in the background and records sensitive information such as bank account credentials.
Insidious ads and unsolicited payments
Many of these apps redirect users to dubious ad-laden websites. They may also trick you into sending premium SMS or signing up for unwanted subscriptions. These payments are hidden and you will only find out about them when you check your bank statement.
The biggest risks to your finances
Dangerous apps don’t only target personal data, but mainly money. Once they have access to sensitive data, they can manipulate payment details, initiate fraudulent transactions, or attempt to change passwords to critical accounts. Thus, data loss can quickly turn into money loss. One common strategy is to demand a ransom – the app encrypts the contents of the phone and demands payment to unlock it.
“Once the attacker knows your personal information, he can log in to banking, send himself any amount and confirm the payment himself. It is desirable for attackers not to be detected. We therefore encounter the fact that attackers send each other sums of several hundred kroner, which do not attract such attention. Attackers can program the sending of money so that it works automatically without manual input,” security expert Martin Jirkal reveals the most common practices.
How to minimize risk
The best defense is prevention. Do not download applications from unverified sources and check that your anti-virus program is up to date. It is important to regularly update your operating system and check which applications you no longer use. Remove these apps and regularly scan your phone for malware.
How to know you’ve been hacked
A compromised phone may behave abnormally. Battery drains faster, data disappears for no apparent reason, and spam ads pop up. If you find that money is disappearing from your account, it may already be too late. Perform a factory reset immediately and contact your bank to block suspicious transactions.
Source: www.youtube.com, www.udalosti247.cz, www.novinky.cz
