Digitally messy? What the Kaspersky survey reveals

Lab: Η ψηφιακή «ακαταστασία» αυξάνεται τόσο λόγω της έκρηξης στη χρήση εφαρμογών όσο και λόγω των πλεονεκτημάτων που προσφέρει η αυξημένη χωρητικότητα μνήμης των συσκευών. Όμως, η ελλιπής συντήρηση των εφαρμογών αφήνει τις συσκευές ευάλωτες απέναντι σε απειλές που σχετίζονται με την ασφάλειά τους. Μία new research of Kaspersky Lab reveals the magnitude of the digital "clutter" problem faced by Internet users worldwide.Kaspersky

Η revealed that users typically install 12 Android apps each month, while deleting just 10, which means users add 2 apps to their devices monthly. With more apps being installed on devices all the time, managing them effectively is important to prevent digital 'clutter'. However, we found that only half of users (55%) refresh and review the contents of their device, deleting unused documents and apps.

The findings are part of a new research carried out by Kaspersky Lab called "Digital clutter and its dangers". THE is based on data obtained from a unique combination of an online survey conducted in 17 countries, statistical analysis by Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) and an experiment on application performance by internal Kaspersky Lab testers.

Accumulation of digital "clutter" means that wiping and upgrading of applications is more important than ever to combat malware that uses application vulnerabilities to break the whole device. However, the survey found that only a quarter (28%) of users upgrades apps on their device when they are forced to do so while 10% of users try not to make any upgrades.

One of the key threats is that applications themselves can put the user's data and devices at risk through their daily activities. Kaspersky Lab's technical findings indicate that 100 Android applications that users can manage (install and delete), 83 have access to sensitive user's personal information, such as contacts, messages, and data, while they can still grab to send SMS messages.

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Kaspersky

Additional findings from the KSN have shown how apps can work without the user's permission. On average, users have 66 apps on their Android device. By testing a representative 66 sample from the most popular Android apps, 54 started in the background, without users touching them, consuming on average 22Mb a day without any user interaction.

App settings give users a degree of control over what the app can access or interact with on the device. However, the survey found that only 40% of people intentionally adjust the settings of each app on their smartphone. In addition, only 32% may refuse to install a mobile application if they are not satisfied with it of the user license.

Andrei Mochola, Head of Consumer Business Kaspersky Lab, stated:

"Users expose their devices and personal data to digital threats by failing to take care of their device simply by cleaning up and updating their software and applications by customizing the settings and removing the installation of applications that are no longer used. Accumulation of digital "clutter" on our devices means we have increasingly ignored the maintenance of these applications. But we do it at our expense, because this can lead to a wide range of problems, such as device malfunctions, battery life issues, or malware infection. Applications have access to some of the most sensitive and personal data we have on our devices, and users often ignore that this information is shared. We call users to put their digital homes in order. Just like a clean, neat room brings fresh air to your home and your life, in the same way, a neat computer or smartphone results in a more enjoyable and, above all, safer experience. "

In order to combat "clutter" and protect their personal data, Kaspersky Lab advises users on the following:

  • Understand what is stored in – take some time to check your devices and practice what which apps and files are stored on your device
  • Clean your device - spend some time putting your digital home in order, through regular clearing and updating of information stored on your devices
  • Keep your device software and applications up to date - regular updates should be made as close as possible to the release of new releases
  • Use special software - For example, software cleaners, such as those found on Kaspersky Lab flagship products, scan all applications installed on your device and alert you to potentially hazardous or infrequent use.

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Written by Dimitris

Dimitris hates on Mondays .....

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