Top 7 aspects to take your Mobile App Security Knowledge up a few notches
With technology advancements, the malicious hackers have also progressed and no matter how robust secure the application is built, the news of app hacking becomes the headlines day after another. The security issues are rising at a swift pace and every app user expects the mobile app should be 100% secure.
Despite incorporating stringent rules and regulations, any platform, be it Android or iOS are suffering from vulnerability concerns. This is really an alarming situation for both corporates and individuals as their valuable data is at stake.
The app development companies have started taking security measures when the app is launched in the market, but it’s a big mistake. The app security is not just a part of the deployment, instead, it starts from the point of time the project is kicked off, the user stories are defined and features developed.
The challenge lies in the sense that developers less often think about the mobile app security upfront and take it as an afterthought.
This is why nearly half of the top paid apps and popular free apps in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store become prey to the hackers and alas get hacked.
Don’t be scared. There is a solution to the problem. Dealing with security threats is not such a big deal. As a developer, you need to enhance the mobile app security knowledge so that the mobile apps you develop and deploy are adequately protected. We have gathered seven app security aspects that you should be aware of, which in turn help you level up your app’s security and adds more dependability factor to it. They are:
Know the vulnerabilities that threaten your code:
The unknown malware makes their way into the application by tapping a bug in the coding or designing. Once the malware is successfully injected in the mobile app, introducing malicious functionalities such as data retrieval, activity monitoring, transmitting the sensitive payment information, leaking hard-coded password and unauthorized dialing into the app becomes easier.
It can be avoided when the developers are endowed with robust tools that help them identify the undetectable vulnerabilities, understand the vulnerabilities and then find out the best ways to keep the them out of the app, in order to protect the code and application. Also, the developers need to be aware of the various layers- operating system, hardware, application layer and infrastructure layer of mobile code security stack where the spyware gets the opportunity to put a security dent in the app.
Know the fundamentals of SDLC:
It doesn’t matter which development methodology- waterfall, agile or Kanban you are using for the app development. Knowing and understanding the basics of software development lifecycle helps the developers in figuring out where security is better integrated and should be tested for keeping the hackers out of the app doors.
The SDLC cannot be the same. It varies for different applications and organizations, and need to be implemented accordingly, thereby the knowledge for handling mobile app security gets increased.
Know the differences in tools and the best fit in your app environment:
The organizational needs of the app development requirements define which set of tools is needed to defend and protect the app against security threats. The developers have to learn about how the security tools like- web application firewall, static application security testing, interactive application security testing and dynamic application security testing work in order to make the right decision and avoid any confusion for the application.
The in-depth knowledge of best application security technologies lets the developer easily pick up the best fit for the specific app development.
Know the security of app data:
The mobile application’s data always stored on the mobile device and when the device is lost, the valuable information stored can be misused, shared or lost.
To not let this happen, the data stored on the mobile device is encrypted within the app’s sandbox, which prevents unauthorized access or malware injection. For the best management of data sharing on mobile devices, the data encryption and control of individual of data elements is important.
Know about mobile device security:
There are many apps that have access to the critical data stored on the mobile device, that’s where protecting the mobile device is all-important. The routing may cause harm to the original device security model, so it cannot be an option. The multi-factor mobile authentication can be considered which ensures user’s legitimacy and create a reliable and secure connection between the app and device. Jailbreak-like technology can also be used that detect and prevent the mobile device from big threats.
In addition, the one-time password through SMS with expiration time prevent the hackers to auto-generate the different combination of OTP or passwords and thus, unauthorized access can be avoided. Implementing the mobile phone authentication adds up an extra layer of security to the app. The developers need to employ the right resources for better managing the risk that emerges while using the app.
Know and understand the case studies from large organizations:
The big enterprise case studies give a complete picture of how the problem has affected the business outcome and how the company dealt with it.
Figuring out how the organizations managed to detect and fixed the mobile app vulnerabilities right in the SDLC helps in gaining a lot of valuable insight like- which tools they have used to identify security issues, to get a detailed report on vulnerabilities, or recommendations for the remediation steps to resolve security issues, which no tutorial or document help them to learn. It’s good to review the case studies and learn from other developer’s experience to make the app secure as this approach reduce the security protection costs by a large amount.
Know about common application attacks
In the mobile app security sphere, you just need to hit a search button writing the phrase- “Common mobile application security attacks,” and you will get tons of reports, research papers, or webinars in results that brilliantly describes how different organizations have dealt with vulnerabilities, the efforts invested in mobile security engineering, the loose ends left, budget set aside for mobile security and so on. Thereby the developers will get more than enough material for mobile app security.
However, if they like to discuss in detail, then joining webinar is the best fit for them to get the correct result after a thoughtful discussion, which aids in solving the concern that the organization is facing.
Takeaway
This holds true for every developer in the sense where they are under pressure of engineering an application that offers an amazing experience to the users before the deadline. The hurry of finishing the app sometimes leave the bugs, crashes during runtime, errors or security holes in the app when it’s launched in the market. They’re the frauds get the chance to hack the application, which tampers the organization’s reputation and sensitive data get stolen.
Gaining optimum mobile app security knowledge help the developers in knowing every possible security threat the app may face and the right set of tools to use to safeguard the application against malware. When the app is built keeping all the aspects in mind, there exists no room for hackers and it mitigates the risk associated with app security as well.
Become the maestro of mobile app security and follow to the points to make your application theft-proof. Good luck!
Author’s Bio: I’m currently working as an Android App Developer with TheAppsmiths. I have a great passion for building world-class products as I loves technology. In the last couple of years, I have worked with big and small clients across numerous continents. I have learned new technologies as well as mentoring and helping others to get started in their programming career. I have a keen interest in mobile application development services in India, IPAD Development, Game development, etc.
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