The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released an alert to smartphone owners regarding the data threat associated with the use of some mobile applications from abroad, stating that any personal data will be collected and stored elsewhere.
According to the FBI alert, apps created outside the United States, especially those originating from China have the capability to gather data from users' devices upon permission from their owners. These apps can gather personal data such as contacts and activities on devices.
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Popular apps suspected of collecting personal data
Although the FBI has not mentioned particular applications, according to analysts, popular applications like Shein, CapCut, Temu, and Lemon8 are among the apps under the purview of the FBI alert.
According to the FBI, apps may also gather data even when they are not active on smartphones. "The app can persistently collect data and users’ private information throughout the device, not just within the app or while the app is active," the FBI stated in its alert.
Risks extend beyond individual users
The advisory further pointed out that the effect of such collection of data might not be restricted only to the user of the application itself. When permission is given for a user’s contacts, the details of other people, which include their names, contact numbers, and e-mail addresses, will also get collected and saved.
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This implies that even people who have not downloaded any such applications can get their personal information compromised through someone else’s device.
The FBI mentioned some of the warning signs and precautionary measures for the potential threat of data collection in its advisory, such as unusual battery drainage, higher use of data, and abnormal account behavior following installation of an application.
