By 
By Joy Amaka Onweani
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has alerted Nigerians to possible theft of their personal data by mobile health applications (apps) and rising cases of privacy infringement such downloaded apps.
“This has become more worrisome as current research has revealed that large numbers of mobile health applications are found to encourage data theft, thereby infringing on your privacy,” NITDA states in a cautionary note released in Abuja today.
The agency adds: “The mobile health applications, mostly available on Android platforms and downloaded through Google Play store, handle increasingly sensitive data over unsecured internet communications and third-party servers. These sensitive data collected pose security threats to users as most of these apps do not only access data, but also share accessed data with third parties.”
Global scourge
The growing popularity of health apps has not been without concerns globally.
Health apps pose ‘unprecedented’ privacy risks, a report by BBC claims warning that using popular health apps could mean private information about medical conditions is not kept confidential, researchers warn.
Another report by ScienceDaily warns clinicians and consumers of unprecedented privacy risk with popular health apps.
Precautions against privacy and security risks
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The NITDA has advised “the general public to take the following precautions to prevent privacy and security risks, while using mobile health applications:
•Users should avoid downloading apps from third party source.
•Users should examine apps before they download them, to understand the level of information the app requests for. This can be done by evaluating reviews by other app users.
•Users should read apps permissions before and after installation to protect themselves from data exploitation.
•Ensure apps available for download in Nigeria should have privacy policy that is Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR)-compliant.
•Users can customize the settings, which will potentially restrict the amount of information disclosed to the apps.
•Users must consider downloading apps that offer better privacy protection.
Prohibit accessing data over unsecured Wi-Fi network or hotspot.
•Install firewalls and anti-virus to protect against virus/malware-base attacks and malicious application.
For further enquiry, kindly contact the Head, NITDA Computer Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) on [email protected], [email protected], or 08178774580.
