There are a lot of ways to take advantage of the internet and all the benefits that it brings us. Sometimes, however, we need special tools to take full advantage. These tools come in the form of software, apps, and programs.
But again, we have to worry about paying for those apps. After all, the developers had to spend a good deal of time and effort in building them. Not to mention the skills that they must have invested in to even know how to build up such solutions.
Fortunately, not all developers take this approach. Most of the apps you have across your devices right now are probably free.
That makes things interesting for us all. Being able to get things done without having to go the premium way every time.
There is one saying that keeps with us many times, though. “If you cannot see the product, you are probably it.”
The Hidden Dangers of Free Apps
Free apps, for all the good they bring to the table, are not without their flaws either.
As mentioned above, the developers will also want to make back their money – for the time and effort spent building the apps. Thus, it is not uncommon to see monetization techniques like data scraping and selling.
In less fancy terms, the developer collects data about you – the user – and sells them to the highest bidder. This could be an ad agency, marketer, or some other sinister individual/ body.
Otherwise, they could choose to go the way of ads. If you have ever used an app with ads popping up at the least provocation, you will understand how poor that can make the entire user experience for you. You just would not be getting as much utility out of the app as you wanted.
That, and we have not mentioned the fact that threat actors themselves could offer apps for free.
This happens in two ways: either they build the malicious app from scratch, or they leverage an existing app to fleece unsuspecting users. The latter is common with normally-paid apps which are then offered for free in cracked/ modded versions.
To do so means modifying the codes of such apps, which also means the hackers could have inserted their codes. Anyone downloading such apps is in danger of being exposed to malware.
Protecting Your Data and Privacy
For one, stay away from downloading free apps with a premium version if you can find a free alternative. These tend to have less intrusive ads that negatively impact user experience. If you must download and use free apps too, especially those that connect to the internet, buying a VPN is a no-brainer. Otherwise, your data – everything you do on the app and the internet – can be collected, recorded, and sent back to the developer to do as they please.
Finally, only download apps from trusted sources. Stay away from so-called hacked apps, cracks, or modified app versions.
Reviewed by Technology Marketing
on
January 19, 2021
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