The question is, of course, how do you know which apps are malicious, and which ones aren't? It's not always easy to tell -- something many users discovered last month when dozens of malicious apps were .

But there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe. First, you should research each and every app you install on your phone. That means looking into the app itself and its developer, not just reading the user reviews posted in the Android Market.

You also want to check the permissions of any app you're running on your phone. As soon as you install an app on your Android phone, you'll see a screen telling you what the app will access -- anything from your location to your network communication and phone calls. Don't just click through this screen: read it carefully and make sure the app in question actually needs all of the data it is accessing. (If you want to check the access of apps that are already installed, you can do so by going into Settings and then selecting Applications on most Android phones.) Do not install or remove any apps that request questionable permissions.

You may also want to consider installing a mobile security app, like , on your smartphone.

These tips will do more than just protect you from this recently-discovered Skype flaw; they offer some of the best ways to keep your Android phone safe at all times.