>How to know an app is safe

It seems there's an app for everything these days – buying coffee to finding the nearest art gallery, banking to gaming. Some of the hundreds of thousands available apps are incredibly useful; others are merely a pleasant distraction.

Unfortunately, many of today's smartphone viruses and malware can be traced back to infected apps. Malware can steal your information and transmit it to outsiders, opening the door to identity theft. Criminals may use your phone to make thousands of expensive phone calls. Hackers have been known to hijack mobile phones and drain bank accounts.

Your smartphone is much like a small PC – except it probably doesn't have the same anti-virus and safety features. Adopt the same security awareness you should have with you home computer: Only download and use applications that have been tried and tested, and are from reputable source.

A few things to keep in mind before you download any new app:

Research
Read user comments about any application you'd like to download. Don't just read the top review, follow the thread or click through and see what people are saying. If you're not sure, ask about the app in a forum or user community.

If there are no comments, wait until there are. Don't let the excitement of a new feature get in the way of caution.

Check the rating
While this is not foolproof – some app developers can post false comments or artificially boost ratings – most applications with 3 stars or less are likely not worth your time. Your chances are better with a 4- or 5-star rating. Note how many votes were counted: a 5-star rating based on 100 reviews is much more reliable than one based on just one or two.

Pay attention to permissions
What exactly does the app do? What is it  asking for? A reliable app will tell you exactly what it will do and what information it needs to do it. You must give permission for an application to access the internet or your directory – so make sure you are comfortable. A game should not need access to your personal contacts, for example. A tip calculator should not need access to the Internet.   

Rule of thumb: If an app says it needs to do something you don't think it should, don't download it.

Download from reputable sources
You don't have to buy all your apps from iTunes or Android Market – but those are a good place to start. Once again, before downloading an app from any site, look for legitimate reviews and user comments. You could also look at the developer's website – if there isn't one, or it doesn't look professional or provide the information you want, you might worry.

For more smartphone tips, read our article on basic smartphone security.

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