App safety

In our previous post, we talked about how a VPN app could help protect your device when connecting to public wi-fi networks. In this post, we’ll look at how to keep your device safe from potentially harmful apps.

Did you know: when an app becomes popular, cybercriminals may create an app that looks very similar but has some hidden malicious extras.

What can you do?

Always download apps from the official app store

For Android devices that’s Google Play and there’s the App Store for Apple devices. Some phone manufacturers also have their own, e.g. the Galaxy Store for Samsung phones.

Apps are vetted before being uploaded although some may slip through which brings us to our second tip.

Check the name of the app and the developer carefully

If you wanted to download a weather app, for example, you might look for something from the Met Office or other reliable source. As with wi-fi network names that can be slightly misspelled to trick you into connecting to them, apps can be made to look legitimate so check the spelling and appearance.

Note: we’re not saying small, independent developers are bad – far from it! Look at the customer rating and reviews, look for verifiable industry awards or perhaps an “Editors Choice” / “Best Apps” list on the app store.