One in five UAE residents allows apps to use their webcams and microphones

A Kaspersky survey says many people agree to use without thinking it through

Authorities in the UAE warn customers to never share one-time passwords with anyone. AP

One in five UAE residents have given app providers permission to access their microphones or webcams, a survey showed.

Cyber security firm Kaspersky polled 15,000 people.

Of these, 21 per cent said they 'always' give permission if prompted to do so.

Sixty per cent were worried someone could be watching them through their webcam without their knowledge.

More than six in 10 (61 per cent) were concerned this could be done through malicious software.

“Many people aren’t instantly familiar with security protocols related to webcam usage and cyber security processes,” said Marina Titova, head of consumer product marketing at Kaspersky.

“However, what we are observing now is a strong positive trend of increased awareness around online safety and potential threats.

“This leads to more proactive consumer behaviour like taking preventive actions and checking permissions before allowing video and microphone access.”

Ms Titova said she expected to see more businesses giving cyber security training to their employees as audio and video devices become more commonly used due to the number of people working from home.

Those in the age groups of 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 (27 per cent and 26 per cent) were most likely to grant permission to use their microphones and webcams.

People over 55 years were the least likely, with 38 per cent in this age bracket most likely to refuse apps and online service providers permission to use their webcams and microphones.

The study asked online users to be more aware of webcams and video call risks, as the use of videoconferencing apps is on the rise.

“If a video calling app has camera permissions, that would make sense,” the report said.

“However, if there is an app without any relevant functionality requesting access to a person’s mic for any justifiable reason, it might be better to investigate and explore permissions.”

The report recommended analysing which applications were permitted to access webcams and microphones and restricting it where it's not necessary.