It's not hard for them to pile up. Here's the game you downloaded once when you were bored. There's the office assistant that didn't work as well as you hoped. Before you know it, you've got a smartphone full of apps you never use. Get rid of them immediately, warns an expert, as they can easily be a gateway for malware to access your system, especially if they have a lot of access to the rest of your system.
"Anything you don't use you should remove from your smartphone," warns Jens Heider of the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology. Along with boosting security, getting rid of unused apps also frees up space on the phone. The problem is that every app is a potential security risk that can be used by hackers and criminals. The risks include seemingly silly apps like flashlights to those produced by ostensibly trustworthy firms.
"If an app is the source of danger, you can't assume it was because of the developer's bad intentions," says Heider. A simple programming error is often enough to turn an app into a gateway for hackers. This applies for programmes that are only installed, but never used.
"It's true that an app can't do any damage as long as it's not running," says Heider. "But, as a hacker, I can make sure it does [run].
"The more access rights an app has, the greater the damage it can cause," he warns. That's why people should avoid games that demand more access than they really need. "Unfortunately, you can't control the individual access rights with Android," says Heider. "That was in planning once, but it got thrown out."
However, users of Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) can employ a trick to regain control. By installing Nova Launcher, which is free, they gain access to an app that helps them set guidelines for each and every app. Of course, there are drawbacks. Some apps might not start without their standard rights. And the widget won't work for those who have upgraded to Android 4.4 (KitKat).
Any other apps you maintain on your smartphone should be completely up to date, since updates will theoretically close any security problems.
Of course, upgrades can also make any app potentially more dangerous. "Access rights are often expanded with each new version," warns Heider. "Which means you might want to skip the update." However, Android will ask for specific permission before downloading an app that allows new rights.