The Lookout Blog

Take A Good Look: Use Discretion When Downloading Apps

When you download an app on your phone, do you read the permissions?  Do you know what permissions are?  We recently asked our Facebook fans (a pretty security savvy group of people) this question and 46% of the 838 survey respondents said “no.”  When downloading apps, users are often in a hurry to install and begin using their new programs.  While it may take an extra minute to look at an app’s ratings and read through the permissions before hitting the “download” button—in the long run—using discretion when downloading apps could help keep you from inadvertently downloading a bad app to your phone.

What are permissions and why should I review them?
Before you install an application to your phone, an app will request permission to access certain data or capabilities on your device.  When you download an app from the Android Market, you can see a list of the data and capabilities the app will access.

Always read through the permissions and make certain they make sense.  For example, if a chess app is asking for permissions to your contact list or phone call logs ask yourself: “why would a chess app need access to my friends’ and colleagues’ phone numbers?”  In this instance, you may want to consider downloading a different application.

There are many permissions that an app could require.  Some of the permissions to pay close attention to include:

• Your location. This will allow an application access to your location. Applications that may ask for this permission include: restaurant finders and mapping applications.
• Modify/delete SD card contents: This will allow the applications to read, write, and delete data stored on your phone’s SD card.  Applications that may access this permission include: note taking, backup, video and camera apps.
• Send SMS. This could let an application send an SMS on your behalf, (it may also cost you money).

How can I see which permissions the apps I’ve already downloaded access?
To see the permissions given to an application after installation open the Market app and follow these steps:

• Press Menu > Downloads (or My Apps)

• Select the app, press Menu > More > Security

Download from trusted sources
In addition to reading the permissions, we recommend that you download your apps from trusted sources like the Android Market, the Amazon App Store or even your carrier’s APP store.  Alternative app stores tend to have a higher frequency of malware, so use extra caution if you decide to download apps from them.

Read the comments in the Market and check the ratings
Before you download an application be sure to read the comments. Click through users’ feedback: this can also help you understand how well an app works on your particular phone (and your particular version). Comments and permissions should also be reread every time you have to update an app.  The Android Market will show you, on average, how many people have downloaded an app, and the overall rating.  Aim to download apps with 3 to 5 stars; this will help give you an idea of an app’s popularity and likely, its quality.

Downloading apps is a fun!  Just be sure to follow these safety tips the next time you click “install.”  Explore all that the market has to offer—and keep your phone safe!