Top Security Risks in Android App Development
At present Android dominates the worldwide mobile operating system with more than 80% share. The massive worldwide market share of Android encourages both businesses and developers to launch new Android apps at regular intervals. But the massive popularity of Google’s mobile OS makes it more prone to targeted malware attacks. Also, Android fragmentation increases the quantum of security risk associated with mobile app development. That is why; it becomes essential for developers to identify and address major security risks associated with Android mobile app development.
Understanding Major Security Risks in Android Application Development
Android Fragmentation
Unlike other mobile operating systems, Android is open source. So the hardware manufacturers can easily customize Google’s mobile operating system according to their specific requirements. That is why; mobile devices use many versions of Android. For instance, some mobile devices are powered by customized versions of the mobile platform, while others use different Android versions. A number of studies have indicated that the Android fragmentation make the mobile platform more vulnerable to targeted malware attacks.
Changes Made by Device Manufacturers
As noted earlier, the openness of Android makes it easier for device manufacturers to customize the mobile platform according to their specific needs. Many device manufacturers make changes to the core functionality of the mobile platform to boost the performance of their mobile devices. Likewise, some manufacturers even integrate custom layers or launchers into the operating system. Often the changes made by device manufacturers result in new security risks.
Option to Download Apps from Unofficial Websites
The users have option to download Android apps from both Google Play store and a number of unofficial app stores. Many users prefer downloading apps from unofficial stores to save money. But the apps available at the official stores can always be malicious. The cyber criminals further design apps specifically with malware, and distribute the fake apps through unofficial app stores. As Google does not have any control over the apps distributed outside Play Store, users often install malicious and fake apps on their devices. The presence of malware on the device also affects the security of Android apps adversely.
Potential Risk while Downloading Apps from Google Play Store
Unlike Apple App Store, Google Play Store does not have a walled and policed environment. The simple guidelines for publishing apps to Google Play Store make it easier for cyber criminals to release apps that contain malware or malicious software. Google regularly scans its app store, and removes the fake and malicious apps. But the apps can easily cause damage to millions of Android devices by the time Google detects the security risks. Some of these app display ads on the devices, make unauthorized calls, increase data consumption, and send personal information to users to the hackers’ server.
Extent of Permissions Required by the App
While developing a mobile app, the developers often find it daunting to decide the extent of permission required by it. So many apps require users to grant permissions that are irrelevant and unnecessary. Also, most users simply click on the accept button without checking the permission asked by the app at the time of download. So the malicious apps can easily take control of the Android devices and make all information stored on the device accessible to the cyber criminals. When the app has permission to access the entire device, the security risks increase drastically.
Evolving Security Risks
The massive worldwide market share of Android makes it more vulnerable to targeted security attacks than other mobile platforms. The open source nature of Android also makes it more vulnerable to being hacked. Some malicious apps can take full control over the Android devices without the user being aware of the security risk. Within a shorter amount of time, Android has already being attacked through several malware and malicious software including Andr/DrSheep-A, vAndr/Generic-S, Andr/BatterD-A and Andr/PJApps-C. According to several reports, Android is currently vulnerable to more than 75,000 identified threats.
Security Loopholes in the Mobile Operating System
Many reports have highlighted a number of security loopholes in Android. Each time a security breach is detected, Google releases security patches without any delay. But Google, unlike Apple, does not have full control over the wide range of devices powered by Android. So many users forget to install the security patches on their devices. Also, some of these security breaches are caused due to changes made by device manufacturers. So Google cannot fix all security breaches in its mobile operating system quickly and efficiently.
It is also important for the businesses to perform a variety of security tests to ensure that their apps are 100% safe and secure. The developers also need to identify and eliminate the loopholes in the source code that make the application vulnerable to targeted malware attacks. A business can always consider performing elaborate security testing during various phases of Android app development and deployment.
