These 5 Android permissions are basically a backdoor — never grant them to apps you don’t trust
These 5 Android permissions are basically a backdoor — never grant them to apps you don’t trust
Publish Date: 2026-05-22 14:00:00
Source Domain: www.makeuseof.com
Every time you install an app, you get a little bit of power over whether you want to accept or deny its permissions. Most of us just tap Allow without really thinking about it. That’s not always the way to go, though, as a few permissions go beyond their stated purpose, and can hand an app the keys to your phone in ways that malicious actors can exploit. Several are actively abused by banking trojans, stalkerware, and SMS fraud campaigns.
Android distinguishes between normal, low risk, automatically granted permissions and more dangerous ones that require explicit user approval at runtime. These five sit at the worst end of that spectrum. If an app you don’t trust fully asks for permissions, stop and ask why.
Accessibility
The permission that can turn your phone into a puppet
Accessibility Services is there to help people with visual, hearing, or motor impairments interact with their phones. Apps with this permission can read what’s on the screen, simulate swiping and tapping, and respond to UI events across any app, even ones they’re not supposed to access. If malware gets this access, it can read text as you type, approve permission requests, and even intercept two-factor codes. Banking trojans like PlayPraetor, SpyNote, and others trick the user into granting accessibility permissions, then perform fraudulent transactions, all while resisting uninstallation. Some malware…
