Total for Android app permissions

The table below describes the full list of Android permissions used by F-Secure Total for Android. The actually used permissions depend on the software variant and the available features.

Android system permissions in general:

  • An Android app may have many permissions listed by Google Play, but that does not accurately reflect which permissions the app actually utilizes.
  • The permissions are bundled on high-level as Groups. A single group contains various permissions as sub-items.
  • When an app wants to use a single permission from a group, the app may obtain also permissions not actually used by the app.
Android permissions groupPermissions obtained from Group by app and usage per app feature(s)
NotificationsPOST_NOTIFICATIONS
Used for permissions that are associated with posting notifications
  • Displaying information
  • Keeping application alive for continuous protection
CameraCAMERA
accessing camera and capturing images/video from the device
  • Password Vault reads QR codes with device camera
Device & app historyREAD_HISTORY_BOOKMARKS
Read your Web bookmarks and history
  • Safe Browsing is observing changes in web history database for safeguarding the user from malicious web addresses
WRITE_HISTORY_BOOKMARKS
Write web bookmarks and history
  • Modifying history (web site titles) to be able detect users navigation (current web page) in web browser application
READ_LOGS
read sensitive log data
  • Parental control access device log data for detecting app uninstall attempts
LocationACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
Approximate location (network-based)
  • Trusted wifi capabilities
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
Precise location (GPS and network-based)
  • Trusted wifi capabilities
StorageMANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
All file access
  • Required for Antivirus functionality
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Accessing external storage
  • Required for Antivirus functionality
WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Erase USB storage, access USB storage filesystem, read the contents of your USB storage, modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
  • Antivirus, while scanning for malicious apps, is accessing also mass storage devices attached to device
  • Antivirus, when detecting a malicious app, can remove the malicious app from a mass storage device per user consent
BiometricsUSE_BIOMETRIC
Use device supported biometric modalities
  • Required for fingerprint authentication
USE_FINGERPRINT
Use fingerprint authentication
  • Password Vault supports login with fingerprint
Device ID & call informationREAD_PHONE_STATE
read phone status and identity
  • App and service subscription including as metadata; Android ID on all devices
Wi-Fi connection informationACCESS_WIFI_STATE
View Wi-Fi connections
  • Observing the Wi-Fi networks visited by the device and displays a notification when a previously unvisited Wi-Fi is visited for the first time
CHANGE_WIFI_STATE
Connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi
  • Wifi capabilities
OtherACCESS_DOWN­LOAD_MANAGER, ACCESS_ALL_DOWN­LOADS, ACCESS_DOWN­LOAD_MANAGER_ADVANCED
access download manager and notifications
  • Antivirus observes notifications for new app downloads, and access Downloads folder to access the downloaded apps for scanning
  • Safe Browser needs to be able to store files to Download folder when user chooses to download a file
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
view network connections
  • Optimizing network carrier (wifi, mobile, roaming) for client-backend communication
ACTION_POWER_CONNECTED, ACTION_POWER_DISCONNECTED
allows app to listen to whether external power has been connected or removed
  • app will be woken for these events
BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE
Accessibility service
  • Used for Family Rules feature: Allowing a parent to protect child from unsuitable web content, and allowing a parent to apply device and apps usage restrictions for a child.
BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN
Android Device Administrator
  • Preventing children from removing the application without parental guidance, and for Browsing Protection.
BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE
Analytics
  • Required for continuous protection.
BLUETOOTH
Connect to paired bluetooth devices
  • Bluetooth API is used for retrieving the user defined device name, as in Android the name is coupled to the Bluetooth service; Is not actually used for connecting to other devices
BIND_AUTOFILL_SERVICE
Ensures that only system can bind into autofill service
  • Required for Password Vault capabilities
BIND_JOB_SERVICE
Protects the applications scheduled job services
  • Required for continuous protection
BIND_REMOTEVIEWS
Binding different remote views, such as lists or grids
  • Required for Safe Browser capabilities
BIND_VPN_SERVICE
Ensures that only system can bind into vpn service
  • Required for VPN capabilities
BILLING
Google Play billing service
  • The app may offer purchasable product upgrades as In-app purchases
CHECK_LICENSE
Google Play license check
  • Google Play license check used with In-app purchase functionality
DUMP
Allows an application to retrieve state dump information from system services
  • Required for diagnostics
DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
The app does not export dynamic receivers
  • Required for safer runtime receivers
FOREGROUND_SERVICE
From Android P, this is needed to allow the app to use foreground service.
  • Foreground service is needed to keep the app running and protect the device.
FOREGROUND_SERVICE_LOCATION
Allows use for foreground service with location type
  • Required for Family Rules.
FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE
Allows special use for foreground service.
  • Required for Family Rules.
FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SYSTEM_EXEMPTED
Allows use for foreground service regardless of system settings.
  • Required for Family Rules.
INSTALL_SHORTCUT
Install shortcuts
  • For installing Total and Safe browser shortcuts in Launcher
INTERNET
Receive data from Internet
  • Network access is required for retrieving app / service subscription status
  • Antivirus functionality
  • Safe Browsing
KILL_BACK­GROUND_PROCESSES
Close other apps
  • Parental Control to close blocked applications
NFC
Control Near Field Communication
  • Safe Browser allows sharing the URL of the current viewed browser page over NFC
QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES
Allows query of any normal app on the device, regardless of manifest declarations.
  • Required for Antivirus functionality
READ
Access all files
  • Required for Antivirus functionality
READ_SYNC_SETTINGS
Check status of sync settings
  • Safe Browser capabilities
RECEIVE
Receive cloud messaging
  • Required for continuous protection
RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED
run at start-up
  • Antivirus engine start-up at device start-up Antivirus performs device boot-time scan, when enabled by user in app settings.
  • Antivirus feature, to be able to execute scan for external drives when device is booted.
  • Safe Browsing feature must be running always to be able to monitor changes in web history database.
  • Parental Control must be running always to be able to block unwanted applications
REORDER_TASKS
allows the application to change order of tasks.
  • Required to automatically bring application to foreground
REQUEST_DELETE_PACKAGES
Allows an application to request deleting packages.
  • To uninstall apps in the device
REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS
Allows application to stay alive by ignoring battery optimizations
  • Required for continuous protection
REVOCATION_NOTIFICATION
Google Play permissions
  • Required for In-app purchase functionality
SEND
send cloud messaging
  • Required for continuous protection
SEND_DOWNLOAD_COMPLETED_INTENTS
Notify app when a download has been completed
  • Required for Antivirus functionality
  • Safe browser functionality
SET_WALLPAPER
Set wallpaper
  • Safe Browser needs to be able to set wallpaper if user wishes to use an image opened in browser as a wallpaper
UNINSTALL
Internal uninstall
  • Required for uninstalling Total internally
USE_EXT_API
External API communication
  • Required for continuous protection
USE_OVER_IPC
Internal app communication
  • Required for communication across process boundary
VIBRATE
Control vibration
  • Vibration used as a fall-back method for playing a sound for app notifications when device is set to vibrating mode
WAKE_LOCK
Prevent device from sleeping
  • Safe browser functionality
WRITE_SETTINGS
Modify system settings
  • System settings are modified for Parental Control (Accessibility, Device Administrator) per user consent
WRITE_SYNC_SETTINGS
Toggle sync on and off
  • Safe Browser Sync Adapter for URL autocomplete and suggestions