HOW TO Avoid Mobile App Security RISKs:
A Handy Guide

The necessary сondition of comfort is safety. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, safety is laid almost at the foundation. In mobile development, it takes the same crucial position.

Since smartphones turn into our wallets, photo albums, and medical cards, mobile app security is becoming more and more important.

Let's figure out what to look for while developing a mobile app on the eve of 2023.

A new episode on Netflix, a fitness app to keep up a workout plan, a map to find a nearby good pub, or Google Pay for shopping — smartphones are widely integrated into our everyday lives. Mobile app development is gaining momentum, at the same time as the mobile threat defense market expands its horizons.

The connection is obvious — handy applications open up a lot of great options, but they also make our personal data more vulnerable.

But there's no reason to worry about it — for every vulnerability, there is a cybersecurity solution.

Securing mobile applications is about safeguarding a user's digital identity. It includes the best practices for protecting data from hacking, malware, and other criminal manipulations.

The concept also implies detecting potential vulnerabilities within the mobile app. The essential purpose is to avoid cyber security threats and prevent cases when personal data falls into the wrong hands.

Sure, not only mobile app users take damage from the data breaks. First and foremost it's both a reputational and financial loss for the provider. Users are keen to stop using an app if their privacy expectations are not met (next, we'll talk about it in more detail).

Therefore, data security most likely tops your to-do list if you are looking to develop a mobile product from scratch or scale up your mobile application.

No one is safe from cyber-attacks and unexpected risks. But our task is to know about them, prevent them and meet them fully armed.

Here is a list of the most common mobile applications security risks. We rely on OWASP Mobile Top 10, created by the Open Web Application Security Project.

Threat agent types described below vary from an adversary that can use your stolen smartphone to malicious software, viruses, and botnets.

Mobile Top Ten Risks has been re-categorized and updated іштс. Today it is more focused on mobile applications rather than servers, thereby becoming more relevant for business owners and mobile developers.

Let's take a closer look at the ten of mobile security pitfalls, picked and systematized by OWASP.

This risk is associated with misusing platform features or ignoring security controls, including Android intents, misuse of TouchID or FaceID, Keychain, platform permissions, and other mobile security features.

Storing data on the client-side is not a pledge to keep it 100% safe. The most famous mobile app security breaches have been caused by insecure client-side data storage.

The golden rule for mobile apps safety is not to store data unless absolutely necessary. The second golden rule is to implement the best Android and iOS practices and adhere to OWASP recommendations listed here.

Communication in the context of mobile apps is firstly about technologies that can transmit and/or receive data. This includes the device's internet connection (WiFi or other), connection to the mobile network, Bluetooth, NFC, and more. This unfortunately gives a pretty wide field of possibilities for attackers.

Threat agents frequently conduct automated cyberattacks using sophisticated tools to exploit authentication weaknesses. Once the attacker understands the weakness in the authentication process, he or she can bypass or fake it by submitting service requests to the mobile app's backend server. It's typically done via mobile malware within the device or attacker's botnets.

In order to exploit such vulnerability, the hacker's key tasks are 1) to understand weak encryption algorithms or encryption process flaws 2) to successfully return encrypted code or sensitive data to its original unencrypted form. This attack will result in the unauthorized retrieval of sensitive data from the mobile device.

To protect sensitive data OWASP recommends applying strong and trusted cryptographic standards and following the NIST guidelines. One more timeless piece of advice is to avoid the storage of sensitive information on a smartphone where possible.

To exploit authorization flaws attacker logs in as a valid user, confirm the authenticity, and then force-browses to a vulnerable endpoint. This submission process is usually done via malware within the mobile device or hacker's botnets.

Poor quality mobile code often leads to security vulnerabilities. These issues are typically exploited via malware or phishing scams.

Typical types of such attacks exploit memory leaks and buffer overflows. For example, buffer overflows within older versions of Safari led to jailbreaking risks.

Code tampering is when an attacker alters a mobile app's code to create a fake version of it. Hackers often use malicious versions of programs hosted in third-party app stores to modify code. They can also use phishing tactics to trick users to install the modified app.

This data threat is about "dismantling an object to see how it works" but in the digital space. Typically, hackers download the targeted app from the online store and analyze it within their own local environment.

Attackers use a specific toolset needed to analyze the final core binary and find the original source code, libraries, and other crucial assets.

n this case, cybercriminals seek to find hidden functionality inside the app that is not directly exposed via the user interface or retrieve hidden controls (API keys, account credentials, etc.) to exploit backend systems directly without end-user involvement.

For example, a developer may accidentally include a password as a comment in a hybrid app or disable 2FA during testing.

To prevent this vulnerability you have to perform a manual secure code review, including an examination of all API endpoints and log statements.

According to a recent survey of global mobile consumers, 45% of iOS and Android users would stop using a mobile app, as well as recommend their friends to do the same, if the app didn't protect their data and their use.

Good mobile developers pay painstaking attention to software design in order to provide a seamless and secure user experience.

In its turn, users and app owners are faced with the same task — to take care of the digital products they use/provide and stay aware of mobile security risks and ways to prevent them.

A deep analysis of threats, risks, and suitable solutions is essential. It's a holistic process, not a one-time action. Don't save your time on making security part of your mobile app design, to not have to spend it dealing with the consequences.

Because they are extremely unpleasant.

Now for the good news. Strong mobile app security ensures:

1) avoidance of all unpleasant outcomes mentioned above

2) smooth business processes

3) lack of upsets and facepalms

4) client trust and loyalty ❤️

A good mobile app ensures fast and safe communication. Sounds simple, but a lot of businesses stumble in the implementation.

Making the mobile app security part is a pretty complicated process, not just a two-factor authentication setup. The mobile app development plan includes a set of security solutions and industry best practices.