Mobile app security threats and best practices
Is your Mobile application secure?
Nowadays, most of the fraud cases are being recorded by mobile applications as compared to web applications. As mobile apps have a higher risk of being targeted by hackers, app developers must consider mobile app security best practices and measures to prevent any type of threat to the user’s personal information or data.
Following are some of the mobile app security threats to know
Data Storage
Most mobile applications have insecure data storage issues. It can be due to SQL database, browser cookies, copy/paste caching, or binary data. Weak operating systems, frameworks, or jailbroken devices make an app data vulnerable. Data stored in the form of cookies or a database later can be accessed by hackers which allows them to access complete user information.
We must make sure that the proper procedures are done to handle the cache data including the images, key presses, and other information.
Lacking Multi Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an additional layer of protection to online accounts. It is an authentication method used to verify a user, application, or device. MFA’s provide security by requiring two or more verification factors to get access to the accounts, which reduces the chances of cyber attacks, such as phishing and data breaches.
Multi-factor authentication works by extra layers of verification during sign-in. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a form of MFA that only requires the verification of two credentials.
Encryption Failure
Encryption is the process of converting data into unreadable code that is only visible after translating back using the secret key. Most of the users’ devices and firm devices lack appropriate data encryption. This means that if a hacker tries to access the data by hacking a mobile phone through an application, the data is available in plain text that is easy to use.
It is easy for computer criminals to track data with improper encryption on the code. One should understand how important it is to establish proper encryption with your code otherwise it leads to privacy violations and more.
Reverse Engineering
Security testers find security risks in programs by reverse-engineering the application code. They are not the ones who are performing reverse engineering. Hackers also want to find software weaknesses through reverse engineering. Hackers will then use this information to attack an application code, and create different malicious versions of them.
The process of reverse engineering involves the extraction of the code from the APK file. Developers should be aware of this very common threat. Through this hackers easily get access to application functions and important features.
Malicious Code Injection
Now the newly introduced applications provide users with a facility to comment and give feedback about the experience using forms or different input methods which is the most common type of injecting malware to the code. When a user inputs data into the application, the application communicates with the server-side to validate. Apps that do not limit users to using minimum characters increase the risk of hackers accessing the server. Hackers then utilize these input fields to enter the malicious code into the software.
The chances of injecting code vulnerability into the application are higher when improper input fields and dynamic assessment of user input is done, like using different characters.
Mobile app security best practices
Secure code
Malicious code affects mobile apps as they get into it. Code with bugs is the point where attackers get a chance to get into the application. Always keep your code’s security harder, make it tough enough to break.
Data encryption
Data encryption is all you need to protect your private data and personal information. All the exchanged data between client and server should be encrypted to maintain privacy and prevent it from being misused.
Be aware of external libraries
Always be careful while using third-party libraries in your code. Because some of the libraries are available with a flaw that allows cyberpunks to get into the application and crash it all. These types of libraries are insecure for your application data.
Server-side Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is considered the best practice to avoid threats. Hence, through this user can only access the data once the authenticity is approved by the server. It is known as the most effective form of security control.
Test Repeatedly
Testing is no doubt critical, teams need to follow step-by-step processes to perform their tests. But this continuous testing can save you a lot from phishing or data breaches. Invest your time in testing, fix your code in each update, and introduce patches when required.
