Smartphones contain data treasures that some apps like to use without being asked. Less known: Cell phone manufacturers also sometimes look over their customers' shoulders.
Berlin (dpa / tmn) - Which apps are installed? And what is used for how long? Such data can be used to make money. Many applications are correspondingly curious, and users should always critically check which apps they install and use.
Surf data is particularly valuable and worth protecting, which is why you should avoid browsers preinstalled by the manufacturer and use a browser you trust. This shows a current example from the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi.
Smartphone manufacturer is surfing
IT security researcher Gabriel Cirlig had discovered that pre-installed browsers (Mint and Mi browsers) developed on the Xiaomi smartphones transmit every website and search query linked to an identification number (ID) to Xiaomi - even in private Windows (incognito mode) and without being logged in with a Xiaomi user account.
Xiaomi defended itself, among other things, with the indication that the data would be anonymized, but provided an update for the browser. In the settings, users should now be able to switch off data transmission at least for incognito mode.
Protection with tracking blockers or firewalls
If you want to keep an eye on the data traffic of certain apps or the entire smartphone on your Android smartphone, you can do this with tracking blocker apps like Blokada or firewall apps like Netguard. Both require some training, but then offer the option to prevent the smartphone from communicating with certain servers.
The best way to get these apps with their full range of functions is to install them via the trustworthy F-Droid store, which only lists open-source and free Android applications and which must be installed as an app beforehand. iPhone owners can try the Lockdown tracking blocker app, for example. Basically, you should always check the permissions critically - including apps that come from the smartphone manufacturer.
Gabriel Cirlig on Twitter
Xiaomi statements
Install the F-Droid store
Blokada
Netguard
Lockdown for iOS
BSI information on permissions for Android apps
