As you prepare to hit the beach or travel to the Paris Olympics, beware: travel apps are among the biggest data hogs and most damaging to your privacy.
Cybersecurity experts at NordVPN, one of the best VPN providers on the market, have discovered that companies like Booking, Airbnb, and FlightRadar24 ask for some of the most unnecessary permissions to access your device’s features. Simply put, they want to access your data even when it’s not related to the performance of their function, including some of the most sensitive information, such as your biometric data.
All of this is detrimental to your privacy, especially when you consider the ever-increasing threat of data breaches affecting large companies. Booking.com, for example, was the target of a major phishing campaign last year. While it may be unimaginable to plan your holiday without one of these apps, there are some steps you can take to protect your privacy when using them.
Travel apps: “More than 28% of permits are excessive”
“Travel apps are among the most likely to request access to device features that are not necessary for their operation. The data collected could be used against the user's interests and lead to much more serious privacy issues than personalized ads,” said Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN.
According to the researchers, each travel app requests an average of 23 device permissions, including access to the travel location, photos or videos. However, more than six of these permissions are unnecessary, as the app does not need those details for its functionality.
The travel category was also found to be particularly eager to access their biometric data. This is highly sensitive information as it relates to critical system processes such as device unlocking, multi-factor authentication or online payments. On average, travel apps ask for nine special, dangerous and biometric permissions.
In addition to travel apps, social media, health and lifestyle, and browsing apps are some of the most hostile apps when it comes to data access and unnecessary permission requests. You can read the full results of NordVPN’s research here.
How to stay safe when using travel apps
Let's face it: in the digitalized world we live in, it would be absurd to think that we can avoid using some travel apps when planning or going on vacation. However, we can do so while protecting our privacy.
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A virtual private network (VPN) is also a very useful tool when traveling. In addition to protecting your data and devices when you connect to an unsecured public Wi-Fi network, a travel VPN also allows you to continue watching all your favorite shows while traveling abroad.
As a general rule, Warmenhoven recommends Download travel apps (and any other app, for that matter) Only in official stores or websitesThis is because, he explains, unofficial app stores do not always have systems in place to verify whether an app is safe before publishing it and making it available for download. Criminals are also known to use unsafe apps to spread malware attacks.
According to Warmenhoven, you should also take time to… Please familiarize yourself with the application's privacy policy. Before downloading, it is highly recommended to check what information about you the provider will record and share with third parties.
As we have seen, Review your app's data permissions It's also crucial. “Users should always consider whether the app needs certain data to do its job before hitting 'OK,' even if the app is developed by a well-known and trusted travel service provider,” Warmenhoven said, suggesting paying special attention to permissions like camera, microphone, storage, location and contact list.
You should avoid Automatically log in with social media accountsalso. If you do so, the app may collect account information and vice versa.
Finally, remember: Delete apps you don't useWhy risk your privacy for an app you're not even using?
