 "Consumers trading privacy for cool new mobile apps: Norton study")
Even as one in three consumers know the mobile apps they are using will collect data about them, yet they download any app that “looked cool”, exposing themselves to privacy risks, according to a survey by cyber security firm Norton.
The survey today said consumers in the country were trading their personal information in exchange for free mobile apps, exposing themselves to privacy risks.
The study said two out of three Indians now accessed the internet more often on a mobile device than on a personal computer. “While four out of five consumers concede that security risks like malware, hacking, misuse of data and cyber stalking on mobile devices are just as great as those faced while using desktops or laptops, a majority (60 per cent) seem to be dismissing these risks as fairly minimal,” the survey said. Globally, of the 10.8 million apps analysed by Symantec's Norton Mobile Insights in 2015, almost 3.3 million were classified as malware, a 230 per cent increase from 2014. The survey was conducted across 14 cities in India on 1,005 smartphone and tablet users aged 16 and above.
The survey revealed that over one in three consumers accepted many apps they used were likely to collect data about them, yet one in five said they would download any app that “looked cool”, regardless of its origin or reputation.
A shocking 36 per cent either always grant permission or simply do not know enough about the kind of permissions they may have granted. “Only 8 per cent reject requests bearing in mind the risks involved,” it added.
When it comes to mWallet, 52 per cent of users believe the security of their mobile wallets is under threat from use of social networking and e-commerce apps.
“This is not surprising as on an average users find it safe to hold over Rs 19,000 across their mWallet accounts at any given time,” the report added.
The survey said victims lost an average of a day’s time in dealing with mobile security issues.
