Privacy

New Selfie App Meitu Can Access Your Information

Downloading a new, popular app often leads to a fun time. Meitu is no exception: it is a new anime-style selfie app. The main feature is really cool — the app can turn your selfies into neat pictures that have an assortment of effects, giving the impression that you’re actually an anime character and not just heading to work for the day. There’s also a major downside though. Meitu may be a neat app, but it’s a dishonest and dangerous app that requires a lot of unnecessary permissions. This allows the app to access, steal, and store your personal information.

The bad news is that there are applications like this all over the Internet, but the good news is that you can be protected from threats like this just as easily. Whenever you download a new app, be sure to run a full virus scan on your device, so that you can check for any malicious threats or spyware. This feature will scan your device memory and SD card for threats of all types so that you don’t end up with dangerous malware or other harmful viruses. Click here to run a full virus scan of your device:

Unfortunately, as stated, there are a lot of applications out there just like Meitu. There are some permissions that a picture-taking application requires, like your camera for instance, but Meitu also requires access to SIM card data, GPS information, Wi-Fi connection data, mobile carrier information, and personal identification information that can be used to track and follow you all over the Internet. These are all unusual permissions, which lead the app to seem suspicious.

For reference, Meitu is an app based in China. What could this company want with all of this global data — are they selling their users’ personal information for marketing purposes, or worse? Experts suspect that Meitu requests these permissions because the app is bloated with ad-tracking software related to its partnership with Google Play, not because they have malicious intentions.

There are a lot of great applications out there that have all sorts of neat features, but they can come with a great cost, despite not costing any actual money. Your personal information can be used against you in all sorts of different ways. Luckily, DFNDR can detect threats like Meitu so that you’re alerted to the dangers these apps can possess, and you won’t end up installing suspicious apps.

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The dfndr blog is an informative channel that presents exclusive content on security and privacy in the mobile and business world, with tips to keep users protected. Populated by a select group of expert reporters, the channel has a partnership with dfndr lab's security team. Together they bring you, first-notice news about attacks, scams, internet vulnerabilities, malware and everything affecting cybersecurity.