Android Security: A Big Concern go Unnoticed by Smartphone Users

As we all know, we are in the world of Internet. Whoever don't have access to Internet or WWW is looked up as orphan in this digitized world. With kids growing up with high-end tech, the penetration of Smartphones is inevitable. The vast majority of smartphone comes loaded with most popular Open Source Operating System, Android, owned and developed by Google. A desktop Operating System tweaked to fit hand-held device. Good and sweet to carry a PC power in pockets. But any tech will come with its own cost.

Rooting your Android Device:

Well! The huge buzz about the Android OS is level of customization. When Android raced with IOS, the Android won users with option to customize the Android experience ( I don't wish to start war of word with which is best?). Android OS customization and tweaking to adapt to users requirements has earned its market share.

One of most popular method to unlock the potential of Android OS is to Root your Device to get Admin privileges as we do in Linux system. It would help to hibernate apps, uninstall bloatwares which comes loaded with your phone, to create swap partition, and etc. Many loved to root the Android Devices. Yet it had its own disadvantage.

Once rooted, any app which request for root permission could sniff out confidential data. Even sensitive information could be compromised. Yet, advocates of Android would state that the app need permissions from the users. So it is user who must act responsibly. But the talk does not end with apps which we grant SuperUser privilege. The Apps which we download from Google Play Store might deduct rooted devices and sniff out data as most users grant permission to those apps. The situation is users can't miss a particular app from his Smartphone. So the permissions are forced upon the users by Software Vendors.

And the apps which we use to root our device might compromise our data. Who knows whats been taken out of  your device, the application got its right to work with your device! So beware, whenever you install an app that too not from Google Play Store, know that you risk your device and sensitive data.

Whatsapp Calling:

People who use popular messaging application Whatsapp would have received links from friends and unknown person to install a software to their Smartphones to enable "Whatsapp Calling feature". I wonder some tried it without realizing that such feature could be added by Facebook with an update from Play Store. It was too late. Most of them lost sensitive information from their smartphones. It stole sensitive information from users to be stored in third party server.

Remember, not only Whatsapp, all such apps are vulnerable to such hacking attempts. With Android users added exponentially, the hackers have found pasture in this field. From PC attack, the mode has be switched to mobile attacks.

Malicious App from Play Store:

The recent revelation that Facebook private pictures could be sniffed out of your Smartphone has raised alarm among Security Researcher who work on Smartphone security.  With unlimited privileges any of your favorite app could gain access to your Smartphone temple. One such example was the Facebook private picture leak.

But not all app would be stealing data. In Play Store, we found many responsible developers who explains the need of such permission when posed with a question. Some open comments could draw developers voice in to Play Store Market. Yet, few grey developers try to sniff out data from app users.

Beware of the purpose of Smartphone:

Last but not the least, make yourself sure about the purpose of your Smartphone. Limit the number of Apps. It might have a potential of PC, yet it is phone. With access to mic, sdcard storage, call information, any app could record your voice calls and upload them when ever you get connected to Internet. Judicious use would fetch more benefits. Beware of what you use and how you use.