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Campaign apps putting user data at risk, study

The presidential primaries are getting citizens to participate in the democratic process in record numbers, but giving up their personal information may be more than they intended.

That is because campaign apps are gathering up a great deal of data – and may expose it, according to a post from Symantec.

Eavesdroppers are a threat, especially for app users logging in over unsecured ​​or public Wi-Fi hotspots. Of 1,200 presidential primary-related Android apps Symantec examined, more than half exposed sensitive data.

The official John Kasich 2016 mobile app, for example, was found to expose apps installed and location data, while the official Ted Cruz app displayed mobile device details and unique IMSI identification.

"Only install apps from trusted sources and pay close attention to permissions apps may be requesting," Symantec researchers advised. They also urged users to turn off location settings when not using a GPS function.

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