Have you every gone to the app store and just installed something on there because it looks good and something you want to look at, or purchased a product and then installed the app without thinking or checking it out first? Lots of people do, but do they really know what is going on under the covers?
How often do you install an application onto your personal device without checking the permissions that it requires or know what the app has access to and what its doing?
These are relevant questions that we should be asking ourselves as we become more connected and joined together sharing our personal data. This is a subject that I have written about before on app permissions and is still relevant today.
I have recently been asked to look at a fitness braclet that someone had who wanted to install the app. What struck me about this app that basically allows you to control a basic fitness tracker was the permissions to allow access to the Camera and Microphone, when there is clearly no reason within the product or app to have them. Is this a lazy programmer who hasnt set the right permissions on the app or is there something else going on.
One of the great things I like about mobile devices now is the ability to actually turn these off myself.
- Android: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/6270602
- Apple: https://www.howtogeek.com/211623/how-to-manage-app-permissions-on-your-iphone-or-ipad/
So do I want my coffee app to know where I am all the time, maybe not, but I do know that it may need access to the storage to download the latest offers and store those discount vouchers.
Of course stopping a permission may cause application issues, however the important thing is that a user can say no.
So when was the last time you checked the apps installed on your device and their permissions?
There are many and apps available to help us automate basic tasks on our mobiles and computing devices. When choosing these tools, we often read reviews and then download the app, run and set up, then let it run its tasks accepting that it will carry out our requirements. But what happens when there is an issue.
There are lots of voice activated tools and services now available from software on your PC and in your car to physical hardware you can place around your home. These devices are becoming everyday occurrences, “Alexa, whats the weather”, “Siri, recipe for Chocolate Cake” (too many to list).
Its always great when you get a phone call saying “Hello, I’m calling from Microsoft and we have noticed a problem with your computer”. My inner kid springs to life and its time to string on the scammers.
Reports from CES 2017 is seeing some great advancements in consumer tech coming out in the journey to digital. Coupled with some recent reports from around the web I have been thinking about the question “How secure is my home in the digital age?”
The IOT Security Foundation has released 
The use of Social Media Identities, have been used for a while now as an alternative to the usual username and passwords traditionally used.
So usual changing of passwords are key to ensure that its not the same as on a list. Typically any logins and passwords for sale will be used/tested on multiple sites by hackers to check if you have used the same password on multiple sites. Good practice should be that you use different passwords on different sites to avoid anyone trying this technique, however the management of such a practice often inhibits this from being done. People may decide to install a password manager to help them navigate the miriad of logins and passwords.
Most browsers are already removing plugin support or don’t support extensions any more. See links below:
Like them or hate them, passwords are one of the regular occurrences in our everyday lives. We use them on an almost daily basis and have so many for each of the systems/web services we use.
