Phone apps should only be downloaded from verified sources to maximize protection against spyware. Vladimir Ulyanov, head of the Zecurion Analytical Center, shared this advice with Moscow 24.

According to him, otherwise, you might inadvertently install spyware yourself.

“For example, someone is looking for where to get a particular app. Someone else sends a link, they follow it, and there’s an installation package with a similar name. But, besides the main functionality, there might be spyware included. We don’t know the source from which the app was installed,” Ulyanov noted.

He specified that it is much harder to download spyware from an official store. The expert also recommends paying attention to the permissions the app requests during the initial launch.

Additionally, spyware can be installed because many apps, including banking products, are not available to Russian users. Because of this, scammers may create duplicate apps. For security purposes, the specialist advises installing banking apps in branches together with staff.