CYBERSECURITY experts have issued some advice for app-loving smartphone users.
The specialists at Kaspersky are known for flagging apps you should delete and they have a useful danger list to help you avoid them.
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Even if you just download apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you might still come across malicious content.
The Kaspersky website explains: “Fake apps are apps created by cybercriminals to cause harm to users and their devices.
“They are designed to resemble legitimate apps but instead carry out malicious activities.
“These activities include monitoring your activity, installing malware, showing annoying ads, or stealing your personal information.”
The list of eight ways to avoid an app disaster on your phone begins with “check the reviews.”
If an app doesn’t have any reviews or a lot of bad ones then this should raise alarm bells.
You should also be wary of fake reviews.
Check if multiple copies of the same review have been posted or lots of reviews with spelling mistakes and errors.
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This leads onto the next warning on the list which is: “Look out for grammar mistakes.”
Typos in the app description should make you think twice about downloading the content.
Next, Kaspersky warns: “Check the number of downloads.”
This is a good way to spot fake versions of the most popular apps.
Apps like Facebook and Instagram have billions of downloads.
If you see versions with only a few thousand, this is a sign of a fake app.
Kaspersky also wants you to: “Research the developer.”
A quick Google search is often enough to confirm the legitimacy of a developer.
If you have to do a lot of digging or see warnings about the name you searched then don’t download the app.
Next, Kaspersky wants you to: “Check the release date.”
A very recent release date combined with a high number of downloads can be a sign of a scam.
Kaspersky also advises reviewing the permission agreement.
It says: “Read the permissions agreement before you download the app.
“Fake apps often ask for additional authorizations that are not strictly necessary.
“This can easily go unnoticed because most people don’t read the fine print.”
Giving certain permissions away to fake apps is very dangerous and can let a cybercriminal access your personal information.
Second to last on the list is: “Check the update frequency.”
An app that is updated too frequently can imply lead to security vulnerabilities.
Last but not least, Kaspersky says: “Check the icon.”
You may notice that a fake app has a distorted or bad-quality version of a legitimate app.
If you spot any of these warning signs you should avoid downloading the app and report it.
