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5 Easily hackable smartphone applications and how to keep yourself safe

5 Easily hackable smartphone applications and how to keep yourself safe

Smartphones keep getting better every year and companies keep packing in new AI tools, smarter safety features, and ways to boost productivity. Live translation, smart photo editing, emergency SOS, and battery systems that learn your habits—these upgrades aren’t just flashy extras.

Published : May 15, 2026, 07:18 PM IST

Updated : May 15, 2026, 07:21 PM IST

Your smartphone is literally an extended arm to you, which is capable of doing everything – from banking and entertainment (social media, OTTs and more) to taking photos and making video calls (personal or professional). But with all these apps, risks tend to grow higher. Here are a few apps which could be hacked easily and some smart tips to keep you safe while using the smartphone.

2/7 Image Source : Pixabay

1. Banking and payment apps: Hackers love targeting banking apps as they are loaded with sensitive information. They will send fake links, try phishing, push screen-sharing scams, even plant malware to grab your login details or OTPs. In order to keep you and your money safe, turn on two-factor authentication, skip public Wi-Fi for transactions, and never, ever hand out your OTPs or PINs. Stick to downloading banking apps from official app stores, and do not ignore those updates, as the security patches matter.

3/7 Image Source : Pixabay

2. Social Media Apps Weak passwords, sketchy login pages or shady third-party apps can all wreck your social media accounts. Once an attacker gets in, they are free to mess with your photos, scam your friends or dig through your private messages. Here’s the plan to be safe: create a strong password (think random letters, numbers, and symbols), turn on login alerts and two-step verification. And if you get DMs with weird links, especially from strangers, never ever click on them.

4/7 Image Source : Pixabay

3. Messaging Apps Remember, that whatever you are messaging, the app holds (private chats, photos, your contacts). Hackers go after these, with the SIM swap tricks, fake verification texts, malware: the usual bag of dirty tricks. Want to lock them out? Then you need to set up two-step verification, add a fingerprint or PIN lock, and guard those verification codes. Encrypt your cloud backups and never download unofficial or 'modded' app versions.

5/7 Image Source : Pixabay

4. Email Applications Your email is the hub of your online life. If someone hacks into it, they can reset pretty much all your other accounts (banking, social, shopping, you name it). Protect yourself by turning on multi-factor authentication, keep an eye on which devices are logged in, and check recent login activity. Do not open weird attachments, random links, or emails that freak out about “urgent” info, especially if it is about your money.

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5. Shopping and e-commerce apps Shopping apps know where you live, what you buy and sometimes even store your card details. This is gold mine for cybercriminals. To keep yourself safe, watch out for fake coupons and cloned apps- as they are everywhere. Do not save your card info in the app, use secure payment options rather. And only download apps from real, trusted sources. Keep an eye on your transaction alerts. For extra safety, consider using virtual cards or UPI, so even if someone breaks in, the damage stays minimal.

7/7 Image Source : Pixabay

Lastly, I would suggest you be alert to what you are downloading and from where. Never ever click on any pop-up link or message. Never share any kind of OTP with a suspicious person. Always be alert and keep cleaning your Caches, to keep your smartphone safe from any malicious activity.