This permission allows an application to send SMS (text messages). Crucially, this happens in the background, without opening your messaging app and without you hitting “Send”.
Why is it dangerous?
Subscription Fraud: Malware secretly sends SMS messages to “Premium Rate” numbers (e.g., voting for a TV show, buying game currency), charging your phone bill $5-$10 per message.
Botnet Propagation: Worms use this to send download links to everyone in your contact list. “Hey mom, check out this photo of you: [malware-link]”.
Legitimate Uses
SMS Managers (like Pulse SMS or Android Messages).
Banking apps (rarely, usually for registration).
Verdict
If a Game or Calculator asks for this: UNINSTALL IMMEDIATELY.
SYSTEM_ALERT: PRIVACY_CONFIG
> DETECTED INCOMING CONNECTION. > WE USE COOKIES TO ANALYZE TRAFFIC AND
SECURE THE PERIMETER. > DO YOU AUTHORIZE TRACKING SCRIPTS?