The built-in Security app of the Xiaomi Mi4c is excellent

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 1, 2015
Google Android
|
7

One of the -- many -- things that I really like about my new Xiaomi Mi4c smartphone is the security application and preferences it ships with.

Specifically, I like how it puts you in charge of permissions on your phone. As you may know, Android apps may request grouped permissions, for instance to gain access to features such as SMS, the contacts or phone.

While permissions may be required for the functionality of the app, a new contacts manager needs access to the contacts for instance, they are sometimes not required for the apps' core functionality.

This can be the case if an app retrieves data for marketing purposes for example. The default option is an accept or don't install the application approach, and there is little one can do at this step to deny access to certain permissions.

There are applications however available that users can make use of to block or remove permissions from installed apps.

The Security application of the Xiaomi Mi4c smartphone ships is such an app. The two features that I like the most about it are automatic prompts when apps try to use permissions, and a permissions manager that gives me full control over the permissions of an app.

The screenshot above highlights both options. The screen on the left shows a security warning while the right one the permissions of one of the installed applications on the device.

Some permissions seem to be blocked automatically when installed on the device, many set to notify, and some to allow automatically. I don't know how the app determines the default permission settings but it means that you will have to go through the permissions for all installed applications to make sure they are set correctly.

You can set the requested permissions of an application to the three values deny, allow or notify.

  • Deny will block any request for the permission right away.
  • Allow accepts the permission request automatically without user interaction.
  • Notify displays the security prompt giving you options on a per-use basis to allow or deny it.

Some apps or part of the functionality that these applications provide may stop working if you block permission requests. It is a trial and error process to come up with the permissions that are required for the app to run at all or to power the functionality you require, and the permissions that are optional.

These optional permissions can be set to deny or notify depending on whether they are not needed at all or only occasionally.

security app xiaomi mi4c

To access the permissions manager on the Xiaomi device, do the following:

  1. Tap on the Security app icon which you should see listed on the start screen of your phone.
  2. Select Permissions > Permissions.
  3. This displays a list of installed applications. Each application is listed with the number of permissions it has requested during installation.
  4. Tap on the application you want to check permissions for.
  5. Each permission of the app is listed on the page sorted into groups such as Charges, Privacy, or Settings.
  6. Tap on a permission to set it to Accept, Deny, or Notify.

A click on permissions at the top of the page lists general permission information. It lists all permission groups and the number of apps that requested the permission. If you are particularly worried about permissions, you may want to use the page to control the behavior from there to make sure you don't miss an app.

Now You: How do you handle application permissions on Android?

Summary
The built-in Security app of the Xiaomi Mi4c is excellent
Article Name
The built-in Security app of the Xiaomi Mi4c is excellent
Description
A thorough look at the Security app of Xiaomi Android devices, and why it is excellent.
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Comments

  1. bruno said on November 3, 2015 at 6:38 pm
    Reply

    You don’t have to be sorry, no one cares about your preferences. Some like to hand over their data to communist China, others to the NSA.

  2. R said on November 3, 2015 at 2:21 am
    Reply

    Sorry, I am not using any brands from communist China.

  3. Bappa said on November 2, 2015 at 6:16 pm
    Reply

    Well, its not the mi4c phone it is the miui mod which has all the power to gives its all devices to use its power.
    I have mi4i which running on lollipop 5.0.2 miui 6 is and it have all the things.

  4. Ben said on November 2, 2015 at 11:01 am
    Reply

    32 GB, keine SD Karte.
    Naja, da reißt es das auch nicht raus.

  5. Q said on November 2, 2015 at 8:23 am
    Reply

    It would be good to see some article(s) (perhaps with an index and summary) regarding securing and reducing tracking and monitoring, and guarding against privacy invasion (from any entities) on the Android platform. I would think many of your readers (myself included) would be interested in such information.

    Some topics might include:
    –Privacy/Monitoring challenges and workarounds or solutions for the challenges of the Android operating systems (it is developed by Google, after all)
    –Android operating system and Apps misbehavior (such as unnecessary calling home or ignoring permissions) from an anti-monitoring or privacy standpoint and what can be done about it
    –Precautions that should be taken with hardware intended for use with Android operating systems
    –Antivirus / Ant-imalware software and recommendation on how to make best use of them
    –Software Firewall software and recommendation on how to make best use of them

  6. Q said on November 2, 2015 at 8:20 am
    Reply

    I am rather new to the Android operating systems, and have not made much use of it.

    I currently handle App permissions by simple examination of what the app is supposed to do and compare it to what permissions are declared necessary. I then make a judgment call.

    I set root access only for the account I intend for administration.

  7. Paul said on November 1, 2015 at 10:38 pm
    Reply

    Wow. That’s really good.

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