Hundreds of popular applications in the Apple App Store seek location-tracking permissions, access to contacts, email and other sensitive information, according to a study of more than 500 apps. Is granting permission to an app worth the privacy invasion?

Apple’s walled-garden approach keeps out many nefarious applications that embed hidden functions designed to steal data. But privacy and security issues still abound for users who are quick to grant permissions to device functionality, according to a recent review of hundreds of applications in the official Apple App Store. Many mobile applications, including some popular names, request permission to access location data, contacts, text and email messages despite lacking functionality that requires access, according to the study, conducted by cloud security vendor Zscaler. Many of the permissions provide access to valuable data that is fed to third-party ad networks. The review of 550 popular iOS applications found that 75 percent of them are linked to advertising networks. The primary message to users concerned about privacy, according to Zscaler, is to carefully scrutinize application privileges before granting them. Here are seven permissions that increase privacy and security risks.  Read more here:  http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/300073607/8-ways-iphone-users-give-up-privacy-threaten-security.htm?cid=nl_vi#

by Robert Westervelt on August 6, 2014, 10:37 am EDT