Seven apps, downloaded millions of times from the Google Play Store, actively read email content in the test, and also gain access to senders and recipients’ addresses. Additionally, some app developers send their email account password to their server, which is also not necessary to provide the service.
freedom of choice
The mail app you want to use on your smartphone or tablet can be freely chosen and installed. It doesn’t have to come from the email provider you created your email address with, but it can. It does not have to be the Mail app preinstalled on the smartphone at the factory.
Nine apps did not read any email content in the test, but did incorporate advertising, tracking and transfer of user data to the app provider and to third parties.
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The three role models
However, compared to Just“,” K-9 Mail” And the PEp MailThree apps also behaved “absolutely perfect.” The developers of these apps did not receive any information about the emails sent nor addresses or passwords in testing.
FairEmail and K-9 Mail are kept simple and functional, and are being developed on a voluntary basis and funded by donations. According to the information, pEp Mail is being developed by an enterprise and provides end-to-end encryption functionality for e-mail.
Tested by “Mobilsicherheit.de”
“FairEMail” in the Google Play Store
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