HOW SMARTPHONE KEYBOARD CUSTOMIZATION CAN PUT YOUR PRIVACY AT RISK !

Many android applications allow you to replace your in-built keyboard to a better stylish keyboard.
these type of customization keyboards have the potential of sending data , keystrokes.

apple is somehow concern but it somehow  allows these types of extensions since IOS 8. But still android is under major threat due these kinds of apps.

GRANTING NETWORK ACCESS TO THE KEYBOARD APP

 The most primary security concern on these kind of Third party keyboards is that they send data, keystrokes to the developers's servers. Now its all upto Developer that how he want to use that data.

But these kind of data transfer only occur when we provide full access to the keyboard app. but sadly without allowing full access these apps don't work LOL.

 

JUST A IMAGE TO SHOW U THE TRUTH!

The Legit app might send the user data to the server for the intelligent analysis . these things are best conducted in the "CLOUD" .  intelligent analysis means predicting upcoming words saving the user's typing pattern.

Some Third Party apps send data without having the full access that can be risky.

POTENTIAL OF INADVERTENT DATA LEAKAGE

In most of the third party app which are only made for a stylish looking keyboard. HAVE BUGS . some Swiftkey users reported that their keywords are populating with other people Emails and searched keywords and prediction ! 

TYPE OF DATA A KEYBOARD APP GETS-:

1.  Name , Email , Phone Number

2. Phone model , IMEI and IMSI numbers.

3. Social Network profile

4. Physical location

5. Contact Logs.

HOW TO BE SAFE FROM YOUR DATA LEAK! 

1. Stick to the inbuilt keyboard

2. If you want to change then use legit apps likes Gboard ,  fleksy etc

3. read the Privacy and security terms !