These days, mobile apps are everything. Right from booking the next movie ticket to paying your electricity bills, everything takes place online, thanks to mobile app. As firms are racing to be the first in this market with coolest apps, they are forgetting major things. They are forgetting to apply security principles in deployment and development, which gives rise to mobile app security issues. So, it is important to ensure that the mobile app projects are secured at forefront. There are top 10 ways available to secure
mobile app and even enhance its security. Want to know more? Let’s jump right into details.
1. Working with secured app code:
The security of your mobile app will be of top priority right from the start. The native apps are quite vulnerable to security threats than web ones as after downloading the app, the code reside on device. The most common mistake over here is not focusing on the security of the code. Failing to test the code can cause some drastic vulnerability to the mobile app, thus making it easier for hackers to procure any kind of information they want. To keep this issue at bay, you need encrypted code that is well tested for vulnerabilities.
2. Platform specified limitations:
It is mandatory to understand limitations and security features of platforms that you are developing an app for. You have to keep in mind some of the passwords, use cases scenarios, geo-location support and encryptions for the OS to work with. It helps in developing and distributing the right mobile application for selected platforms. If you aim to work on iOS system, there are various tips available to design perfect mobile application for better user experience. Likewise you can use some tips to secure mobile app development for Android users as well.
3. Securing network connections:
The servers, which mobile app uses, should have proper security measures to protect data and prevent any kind of unauthorized access. APIs access needs to be protected, so no one outside of your enterprise has unauthorized access to it. If you want, you can add extra security through VPN or encrypted connections. Containerization is one way to create encrypted containers for storing documents and data securely. Make sure to protect data in right way as a simple leakage is quite common.
4. Make sure to encrypt all data:
Encrypting just the code is not enough. You can even encrypt all data as exchanged through mobile app. So, even if the data gets stolen, the hackers won’t be able to do anything with it. Unless you have the key, it is all just lettering without any meaning to it. For the apps made for enterprises, which contain sensitive information, the data should be encrypted as well to make it impossible to misuse. It is one of the mobile app security best practices to follow.
5. Try to prevent data leakage:
Before downloading any app, users have to agree some permissions, which they generally don’t pay heed to. It might give businesses the chance to obtain some sensitive personal information about the use, which they can later misuse if they want. So, try to implement advertising ethically and use secure providers to ensure that the data of users don’t get leaked to malicious vendors. Some apps might release user’s data without asking permission from the customer. So, be sure that the data once collected, remain secure and cannot be stolen.
6. Minimizing sensitive data storing:
Data storage should be as less as possible to avoid risk. If it is possible, try not to store any kind of confidential user data within your servers or device. It will just increase risk levels. But, if you still need to store data, it is vital to use encrypted data containers like containerization. Try to keep reliance on logs to minimum. Get these logs automatically deleted after a certain span. It is one way on how to secure mobile apps for future uses.
7. Develop Mobile Security Standards:
Organizations have multiple types of standards, designed for developers to help them while creating applications. But these details are most of the time, not focused on security. In majority cases, there is no mention of mobile applications. Some differences lies between Android and iOS to ensure that auto-complete is turned off. Sometimes, the password fields are aptly protected. It is vital to have proper security standards and guidelines associated with technologies that are in use.
8. Using higher level authentication:
Due to weak authentication, multiple security breaches can take place. So, it is crucial to get hands on a strong one, which primarily refers to passwords. Encourage users to be absolutely careful with their passwords. Design apps in such a manner which will require stronger passwords only. 2 Factor Authentication is one proven way to improve app’s security. Here, the user needs to input a code, which will be sent on their registered email or phone number. The recent authentication modes are more secured as they will use biometrics like retina scan or fingerprint. Around 62% of the companies now use this biometric information in any form. So, try to add that in your mobile apps as well to get answer on How To Improve Mobile App Retention.
9. API security of stronger form:
Developing mobile apps depends a lot on Application program Interface. So, securing API is a major point of concentration, to secure mobile app. APIs are main channels for data, functionality and content. So, ensure proper security to API, to safeguard your mobile app from future possible threats. Authorization, authentication and identification are major security points to consider, while creating API.
10. Complete Dynamic and Static Verification:
Complete Dynamic and Static Verification – Dynamic and static verification techniques are still not prominently designed. Little it made available for the dynamic versions of mobile apps. Well, it definitely does not mean these two security activities will not fit right into the secure mobile development. When technologies become efficient, it is time to evaluate mobile code during development with static approaches. It ensures that bad APIs are not abused.
Following these simple 10 ways can easily help in enhancing the mobile app security. It is mandatory for the mobile app developers to keep a close watch on these points and follow them whenever the time comes.
