Every mobile device comes in with trusted and untrusted resources settings. They occasionally pop up with a message if you try to install a third-party app on your phone from outside the authentic app store like Google Play, Apple Store, and so on. These vendor-specific stores are considered trusted sources since they are verified and recognized by the major manufacturers. The same is not true for other sources.
To learn more about their meaning, keep on reading this article.
What is the purpose for such differentiation?
The trusted and untrusted sources exist since anybody can pack malware and such devastating act into your mobile device. With the verified sources, the apps are harmless since they are verified and tested before they make it to the AppStore. So the developers of such vendors develop the apps with the requirements in mind. The kind of difference that separates from each other is based on the development and support model used by the vendors.
Trusted and untrusted sources on iOS
Apple has the most strictly controlled environment for all of its devices. Developing iOS requires every requirement met by the app developers before it even makes it to the store. Apple has such a development model kept in their official documentation for iOS development. On the other hand, Android has less control over the development of Android apps. This way Android allows app installation from unknown sources whereas Apple would not give you the option to install such an app.
Trusted and untrusted sources on Android
Android operating systems give you the option to select the sources of installation for such an app. An app running on one vendor may not run on another at all, even though they all run a variation of the Android Operating system. One of the best examples here would be Amazon’s Fire devices, such as – Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Kindle Fire, etc. They are only able to get their apps from the Amazon Appstore. Even though Google Play apps do not deploy such a strict development model as Apple, does not necessarily mean they are less secure.
Dangers of app installation
The kinds of security flaws third-party app stores typically bring are essentially from apps with unofficial or unapproved sources. But that does not mean any of the sources outside Google Play. There are stores from device manufacturers, communications carriers, Corporate’s own apps, and such. There are sources that are not legitimate at all and are unapproved by the Play, and App stores. Some devices may require you to modify your mobile operating system to run those apps downloaded from unofficial stores.
The kind of risks involved in installing and using such apps from untrusted resources include – infecting the device with malware, stealing your personal data, selling your data to third parties, in some cases being hacked, and your sensitive information like credit card details being exposed. These risks are not limited to the ones mentioned here but can potentially cause severe damage to your device. The best thing to do is look for apps from trusted sources.