BACKGROUND:
This Google is rolling out a privacy-enhancing answer to all those forgotten and unused Android apps once granted access to your sensitive data. The unused apps will soon begin to automatically lose their permission to sensitive information and Google is planing to launch this featured called “permissions auto-reset” in December.
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<p>This is a game-changer for many unwitting Android users who erroneously granted excessive permissions to mobile apps that don’t need them or even to malware. Many millions of non-technical users are tricked to grant dangerous permissions to adware apps or even installing malicious applications and then grant all existing permissions that may lead to a full compromise of the device. While Android 10 and 11 implemented many novel privacy features to protect users from malicious apps, countless devices are still running obsolete versions of Android that have very basic or no protection at all. The problem is especially widespread in less developed countries where, however, mobile users use their devices for payments or other sensitive operations. Many mobile security experts believe that iOS is more secure by default, especially in its vigorous policing of the App Store, application vetting and restrictions to install apps from untrusted sources. The new Android feature will foster the race towards stronger data protection and privacy-by-default, hopefully motiving Apple to bring even more advanced privacy features in the near future.</p>