Staying on top of what information your apps can access is always a good idea.

Adnan Ahmed for Engadget

It's great that we have access to hundreds of thousands of apps on our smartphones, but it's always worth being mindful of which apps you install. Though Android and iOS have surprisingly effective built-in security measures to detect and block malicious apps, some apps may still pose a risk if they have access to sensitive information or device features. An app requesting permission to access your camera, location, text messages or files doesn't necessarily mean it's unsafe, but it's worth asking why it needs them in the first place — especially if they have little to do with what the app is actually supposed to do.

Reviewing app permissions on your phone every once in a while is therefore a good way to keep your personal data secure, and thankfully, both Android and iOS let you do so fairly easily through their settings menus.…