And that's only the first part…

Data thieves are not the only ones who can benefit from your information. Legitimate companies also collect and use it for their purposes, and they may not have your best interests in mind.

Hidden "features"

Antivirus and other anti-malware tools will not protect against all malware. The tools can protect you against apps designed to cause harm to your device and steal your data if the apps are recognized as malware by the antivirus vendor. However, there are also valid apps written with "hidden features". These valid apps would not be classified as malware by antivirus software. Some of the hidden features in these apps are harmless, such as the unadvertised app hidden inside the Apple software. Other apps are put there only to benefit the author and those whom the author selects.

Hidden apps may be beneficial to the device's owner, at least when installed. However, over time the functionality of a hidden app may become harmful. For example, the hidden app may...