Smartphones in the current world scenario are like our senses; if we lose them, we lose a lot of things with them. Our entire data, like passwords, financial details, identity, etc., is inside this small technological masterpiece, making it crucial.
Also, approximately 54.8% of total website traffic is through smartphones, half of the global internet traffic driven by internet users. On the one hand, the rapidly increasing importance of smartphones is beneficial as it can help developers and companies generate revenues. But, on the other hand, it is dangerous also, as an increase in smartphone use means increased vulnerability towards cyberattacks.
Therefore, to eliminate the risk of getting hacked, app developers and various smartphone brands have started emphasizing security. Many Android and iOS app developers utilize more complex technologies to protect their users.
Let’s find out why app developers need to pay special attention to the security of their products.
What is smartphone app security?
Mobile app security is a set of mechanisms that helps protect smartphones from viruses and different types of cyber-attacks. In simple words, it’s a shield for your smartphone against external threats coming from the internet.
For instance, banking app developers focus on security as the greatest concern. After all, even a minor vulnerability could lead to loss of finances of millions of users. Frightening statistics have indicated that 77% of financial apps have at least on severe vulnerability leaving them susceptible to breaches.
Why is mobile app security important?
Intensifying mobile app security is essential for users as well as app developers.
For the end-users, it gives peace of mind by letting them know that their data is safe and secure with the app they opted for. This way, they become more loyal to a specific product or service because of enhanced trust. Security plays an equal role in boosting revenue through a growing customer base and higher consumer retention rate.
Security also comes in handy for companies when there is a continuous need to enhance business operations without fear of cyberattacks vulnerability. This way, all types of technical glitches can be eliminated from the equation, making work much smoother and improving overall productivity.
However, many people believe that Google Play Store and iOS App Store apps are entirely safe. But that’s just a myth; not every application is safe because it depends mainly on the developers who built that app. If they didn’t focus on building a secure app, there’s no reason to trust that app.
What can go wrong if security is not a priority
Mobile apps are often prone to different types of cyber-attacks for various reasons beginning from weak server-side controls to the users sharing their data with any untrusted third party.
The vulnerabilities of an app with weak security are as follows:
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack
Android or iOS apps allow hackers to generate traffic towards other resources on the internet other than their servers. Causing a sudden surge in resource usage and eventually leading to unavailability of service for legitimate users.
Data Leakage
It is another significant risk faced by apps with poor security. Most of the apps that we use demand a certain level of information from us, and we must provide it to them to make them work smoothly. But this information can get leaked if the app doesn’t include level security.
When apps don’t secure the transmitted data, all a user’s information can be taken by hackers.
Untrusted Inputs
Cookies, environment variables, and hidden form fields may be assumed as unmodifiable by developers. However, these factors can be altered by an attacker. When security policies such as authentication and authorization are based on this data, attackers may exploit the app’s security shield to cause financial damage and harm to users.
How Can Developers Ensure Security of the Apps?
If you are a developer, these tips can help you enhance the security of the apps you plan to build next.
Encrypt Data
The encryption must be so strong that if anyone tries to access the data packets, they only get to see a mess of codes and nothing else. After all, the importance of encryption cannot be underestimated. Even end-users have options for reaping its benefits. It might be that users turn to end-to-end encrypted instant messaging apps. These solutions prevent anyone from eavesdropping on your conversations: even the service providers themselves. Thus, it is no surprise that many users turn to applications like Signal considering new privacy concerns.
Another option for boosting security online is downloading a VPN. It also equips encryption as the tool to keep users safe online. Once they connect to VPN servers, their online traffic gets encrypted. It prevents third parties from capturing and reading the details sent over the internet connection. Taken that our online data exchanges can be highly personal, some extra encryption never hurts.
Write secure code
Avoid any glitches or bugs in the code you write because these are the ones that make an app vulnerable. From the start, keep security in mind and harden your code to make it more difficult to penetrate. Minify your code and make it a challenge to be reverse-engineered. Continually test your site and fix bugs as they are discovered and make the process of modifying and updating your code easy.
Use authorized APIs only
Whenever you use any third-party APIs for authentication or other purposes, make sure to use the authorized ones only. Unauthorized and poorly written APIs might inadvertently give hackers access to sensitive information.
Top-notch authentication
You may limit your apps only to accept solid alphanumeric passwords that must be renewed every six months. Multi-factor authentication is becoming more popular, which involves a combination of static passwords and dynamic OTP. Biometric verification, such as retinal scans and fingerprints, can also be utilized in cases when apps are overly security conscious.
Conclusion
We have given you a brief insight into mobile app security and the threats that it faces. To ensure that your apps are secured from any potential threats, always focus on writing secure code and carrying out regular penetration testing activities over time.
