Zift Advisory
Best Secret Folder is an app that hides pictures, files, and videos within a concealed and password-protected folder on your mobile device. This app is only available for iOS devices and is rated for everyone. This app is free to download but does feature in-app purchases. This app is not recommended for children.
What is Best Secret Folder?
Best Secret Folder is a type of app that is sometimes referred to as a 'content cloaking' or 'vault' app.
This app hides pictures, files, and videos within a concealed and password-protected folder on your mobile device. Users can add notes and organize the contents with multiple folders within the app.
This app is only available for iOS devices and is rated for everyone. This app is free to download but does feature in-app purchases.
Files are kept within an average looking folder called “My Utilities.” The app's functionality only kicks in when someone attempts to open and view its contents.
When someone tries to open the folder, they will be prompted to enter either the password or pattern before they can see its contents. A security log is kept of both successful and failed logins.
Users can configure Best Secret Folder to notify them if an attempt is made to open the folder without their permission. If someone fails to login 4 times, the app will provide a photo and the location of the intruder when the folder is unlocked successfully. The app will also send the intruder's photo and location to the email associated with the app.
Photos and videos stored in Best Secret Folder can easily be exported and shared via email.
Best Secret Folder has been featured in several articles offering users effective ways to hide explicit photos and communications, such as Mashable’s “7 Secret Apps to Hide Your Sexy Photos.”
Is Best Secret Folder safe for my kids?
While there are a number of uses for apps of this type, but Best Secret Folder may not be safe for children or young teens. Installing this app does not necessarily mean that your teen is up to no good, but it is an attempt to be secretive.
Best Secret Folder is openly branded as a way to hide inappropriate content, such as pornographic imagery, sexually explicit communications, or other forbidden material.
But not all attempts by teens to secure their digital privacy are bad. In this age of rapidly disappearing digital privacy, taking steps to secure their media and private information from inspection by third parties could be considered proactive and responsible.
If you have a mobile device that is sometimes shared with a younger child, installing apps like Best Secret Folder might be considered as part of “sanitizing” your device for safe use. But, preteens and teenagers using Best Secret Folder or similar apps may be taking measures to hide media or files.
Recently, app security groups have reported the potential for Trojan horse-style attacks which use apps like Best Secret Folder to gather material for extortion. If a user is placing photos or other images in a password-protected or otherwise secret folder, it's reasonable to assume they don't want anyone else to see them.
This is something that developers may exploit to trick users into proactively sharing their most sensitive material.
If your teen wants to install this app to conceal material from friends or other users of their device, parents may consider asking them to share their password with you.
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