ANDROID SECURITY
You might not know it from all the panic-inducing headlines out there, but Android is packed with practical and powerful security options. Some are activated by default, while others are more out of the way but equally deserving of your attention. Over the following pages, we look through Android's settings, ranging from core system-level elements to some more advanced and overlooked options.
1. APP PERMISSIONS
A rarely spoken reality of Android security is that your own negligence - either in failing to properly secure your device in some way or in leaving open too many windows that allow third-party apps access to your personal details - is far more likely to be problematic than any manner of malware.
So let's address the first part of that right off the bat, shall we? Despite what some sensational stories might lead you to believe, Android apps are never able to access your personal data or any part of your phone unless you explicitly give them the go-ahead to do so. And while you can't undo anything that's already happened, you can go back and revisit all your app permissions to make sure everything's in tip-top shape for the future. That's advisable to do periodically, anyway, and particularly now - as the last few Android versions have included some important new app permission options.
Specifically, you can now let apps access your location only when they're actively in use, instead of all the time (as of Android 10); you can approve certain permissions only on a one-time, limited-use basis (as of Android 11); and you can determine how detailed of a view any given app gets of your location when you grant it that access (as of Android 12). But any apps that were already on your phone by the time those upgrades arrived would have already had full, unrestricted access to those areas of your device. And it's up to you to revisit them and update their settings as needed.
So do this: head into the Privacy section of your). That'll show you a list of all available system permissions, including especially sensitive areas such as location, camera and microphone - the same three areas, incidentally, that can be limited to one-time use only on any phone running at least Android 11. (And if you don't see a 'Permission manager' option on your phone, try looking in the Apps section instead. You can then pull up one app at a time there and find its permissions that way.)
