Systems, methods, and software can be used to monitor resource access. In some aspect, an electronic device determines that an application attempts to access a resource on the electronic device. The electronic device determines whether the application is operating in a foreground of an operating system (OS) on the electronic device or in a background of the OS on the electronic device. If the application is operating in the foreground, the application is permitted to access the resource. If the application is operating in the background, a notification is generated to indicate that a background application attempts to access a resource.