In the digital age, our phones are a treasure trove of personal information. Unfortunately, not every app we download has pure intentions. The year 2026 brings new sophisticated threats that security experts refer to as “data vacuum cleaners.” These are apps that appear to serve their purpose, but in the background, they silently send your data to unknown servers.
Specifically, you should be careful about these applications or types of applications:
- Suspicious shopping platforms: Various security authorities, including the Czech National Security Agency pro cyber and information security, and cybersecurity firms warn against shopping platforms that proThey offer goods at extremely low prices. They often require an excessive number of permissions that they do not actually need to function. There are reasonable suspicions that they collect sensitive data about users and can transfer itpropass them on. If you don't use them daily, it's better to buy them online. probrowser in incognito mode.
- Free VPN services (especially from unclear sources): While VPN apps are a symbol of privacy for many users, they can be the biggest pests. Free services often serve as collectors of your internet history. If you don't pay for them with money, you pay with your data. In February, cybersecurity experts warned about services like ZeroDayRAT, which masquerade as VPNs but actually allow hackers to remotely control your device. Among the paid VPNs, we can recommend, for example NordVPN, ProtonVPN or Surfshark.
- Memory cleaners and phone accelerators: Also beware of applications promising "miraculous" system acceleration. These are various Speed Boosters or Battery Savers. In 2026, such applications are practically useless. Modern systems (Android 15 and later and iOS) handle memory management themselves. These applications often just run in the background, drain the battery and collect information about installed software and your behavior.
- Simple tools (flashlights, editors, QR readers, etc.): Applications of this type look safe, however, they may not be as innocent as they seem. Have you ever wondered, pyear for example, an application pro Should a light bulb want access to your location and contacts? If such an app asks for meaningless permissions, get rid of it. Not only can it collect your data, but it can also contain malware like Joker or Mandrake.
- Outdated and outdated applications: If an app hasn't been updated in over a year, it becomes risky. Hackers exploit known bugs in old code that developers no longer patch. Do a "big clean" on your phone once a month and delete everything you don't need.
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How to defend yourself?
ProYou can defend yourself against apps that "suck up" your personal data quite easily. Here are three "golden" rules:
- Official sources: Always download applications only from official sources, i.e. those pro Android from the Play Store and you pro iOS from the store App Store. Avoid installations via links from WhatsAppu, Telegram or other communication platforms.
- Battery check: If your phone starts to overheat or drains battery quickly, check your settings to see which apps are using the most power in the background. This is often the first sign of data hogging. In this regard, it is worth noting that Google will start to list apps in its app store directly from March. penalize and flag apps that drain the battery excessively.
- principle miniminor authorization: If the calculator wants access to the microphone, don't allow it.
It's ideal to follow the motto "install only what you really need" when installing applications. Believe it or not, this simple motto will save you a lot of nerves (at least in my case it was/is).
