#Is bluestacks safe 2019 for mac#
#Is bluestacks safe 2019 install#
#Is bluestacks safe 2019 android#
#Is bluestacks safe 2019 download#

A BlueStacks spokesperson told Insider that they 'actively track of updates to open source Android and the latest patches on a regular cycle, in addition to resolving issues reported directly.' They're also led by former members of McAfee, one of the computer world's leading cybersecurity firms.īut incidents like that highlight why it's so important to keep all your apps fully updated, Tomaschek said. Since then, there haven't been any notable issues. BlueStacks patched the vulnerabilities immediately, and it was probably fixed before any hacker had a chance to exploit it.

#Is bluestacks safe 2019 install#

However in 2019, security researcher Nick Cano alerted BlueStacks to a major security flaw in the program that could potentially let hackers steal users' personal data and install malware on their computers. As such, they handle your data pretty carefully. BlueStacks has had one major security incident in the pastīlueStacks is a popular app that's maintained by a major company with plenty of industry clout.

Unless you've deliberately disabled your computer's built-in security features, or haven't updated it in years, your files will be untouched. Dave Hatter, a cybersecurity consultant from InTrust IT, told Insider that both Macs and PCs have pretty strict security when it comes to letting apps read your documents. BlueStacks requests and collects a lot of data, but no more than any other big-name app.Īnd it probably won't have any access to your actual files or documents. They also said that this data 'is not stored in the cloud,' meaning in theory they're the only ones with access to it. It sounds like a lot, but it's the sort of data that most modern apps collect.Ī BlueStacks spokesperson told us that they take this info 'to make the user experience better,' and it helps optimize the app to run well on a variety of different computers. In other words, BlueStacks will see what browser and computer you're using, your general location, and some information about your computer setup. According to Tomaschek, it'll see 'info regarding your OS, hardware, unique device identifiers, and network information.' Once you start using it, it'll also 'collect and analyze data related to your device, like your device's IP address, location preferences, system configuration data, app activity, transaction timestamps, Android app metadata, and more.' Secondly, BlueStacks will see some of your computer's data. This might include your phone number, gender, address, and picture.

As such, BlueStacks will get access to your name, email address, and any other public information on your Google account.

#Is bluestacks safe 2019 download#

When you download BlueStacks, you share data in two ways.įirstly, when you download BlueStacks, you'll have to log into your Google account. What data does BlueStacks see?Įvery app you download gets some amount of access to your device's data. Tomaschek also stresses that even if BlueStacks is trustworthy, you should still adhere to 'to basic digital privacy best practices.' These include limiting the amount of personal information you share online, never clicking on shady links, and doing research before downloading any app to make sure that it's safe. And the emulated Android system is run inside of a 'secure OS virtualization container, further protecting the user.'īut other threats, like social engineering or phishing scams that trick you into giving up data, are still dangerous.

A BlueStacks spokesperson assured Insider that every app is run inside of an 'App Container,' which makes sure the app can't interact with the rest of your system. 'Even if you have downloaded BlueStacks from the official site, you can still download potentially malicious apps from the Google Play Store.' The Google Play Store has lots of great apps, but also a troubling number of dangerous ones.īlueStacks can protect you from some of these apps, since they're usually designed to work on Android devices, not Macs or PCs. 'You'll need to be careful,' Attila Tomaschek, a digital privacy researcher from the cybersecurity firm ProPrivacy, told Insider. Over the years, cybersecurity researchers have flagged hundreds of Play Store apps that carry malware, charge you money for worthless or non-existent products, or track your personal information. However, the Google Play Store - which is where you'll be downloading the Android apps from - carries some risks. BlueStacks is a highly respected company and app.

#Is bluestacks safe 2019 for mac#

The newest version for Mac is called BlueStacks 4, while Windows users can run BlueStacks 5. Just make sure that you download it from BlueStacks' official website.