Safely Downloading Apps from Official Stores

Installing apps from outside Google Play or the App Store, or from links sent by email or on social networks, is one of the most common ways a phone ends up infected with malicious software. Official stores review apps before publishing them and can quickly remove them if a problem is detected, something that doesn't happen when you download a file directly from an unknown website. Even within official stores it's worth paying attention to simple details, such as the number of downloads, recent reviews, who the developer is and whether the permissions requested make sense for what the app does; a flashlight that requests access to your contacts, for example, is a clear warning sign. This habit of checking before installing takes just a few seconds, but prevents much of the malware incidents that affect everyday users.