ZDNET Urges Users to Review 7+ Phone Permissions to Curb Personal Data Exposure

1 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jun 10

ZDNET advised smartphone users to audit more than seven privacy settings, warning that overly broad app permissions can quietly expose personal data on both Android and iPhone devices.
Location, camera and microphone access top the checklist because always-on permissions can reveal movements, surroundings and conversations; the report recommends limiting most apps to "while using the app," "ask every time" or "never."
Contacts, SMS, calendars and health data also deserve close review, since they can expose relationships, schedules, travel plans and sensitive medical or fitness information that companies may use for profiling, marketing or other data collection.
Photos, notifications, physical activity and Bluetooth permissions can also leak sensitive information or even security codes, and apps requesting unusual combinations of access may signal malware or excessive data harvesting.
ZDNET says users should recheck permissions every few months, delete unused apps and keep operating systems and apps updated to reduce privacy risks from new features, major updates or newly introduced vulnerabilities.