The advent of technology has made 83% of the world’s population use smartphones. The device has become a vital tool for everyday life, not just for communicating but also for doing other necessities.
Smartphones allow users to shop, pay bills, and many more with clicks away. Plenty of smartphone apps, including social media, require users to input personal information. With billions of data submitted to the systems, preys are ready to ambush them. This situation can lead to cyber-attacks.
If you’re developing a mobile app, it’s important to protect it from cyber-attacks to avoid data leak and theft. Doing prevention as soon as possible can help you build a robust mobile app that is safe for every user.
This article covers the comprehensive guide to securing your mobile app from cyber-attacks. Before that, let’s discuss the general information about cyber-attacks and mobile app security below.
What are Cyber-attacks, and Why is Securing Mobile App Important?
A cyber-attack refers to an attempt to get unauthorized access to an app or device with the intent to steal, expose, misuse, or other actions that can cause damage. The actor behind the cyber-attack may sell personal data or use them to do criminal actions which can get owners in trouble.
To avoid unwanted incidents caused by cyber-attack, mobile app developers need to work hard in establishing breach-free security for their mobile apps. There are some ways to ensure your mobile apps, which we will cover further in this article.
The Target of Cyber Attacks
Attackers may target different data, but personal and cardholder data are two of the most favored. Personal data includes name, address, and location.
While, cardholder data includes card number, password, expiry date, and CCV. Other than the two, attackers may also access the device to abuse the owner’s account or steal other vital data.
Ways of Securing Mobile Apps from Cyber-attacks
Even if major mobile app developers are confident that they have created the finest security system, cyber-attacks are still possible to happen. Here are some ways to secure your mobile app from threats.
1. Establish Secure and Stronger User Authentication
Nick Oberheiden, Founder & Attorney at Oberheiden P.C recommends “Secure and strong user authentication is one of the most effective ways to avoid attackers. You may use microinteractions and layers of authentication processes to prevent unauthorized access from hackers or malware.”
Establishing secure and more robust user authentication can include 2FA (2-Factor Authentication) and MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication). Also, you should consider adding one-time passwords, enforcing timeout, and mobile safety features.
2. Application Wrapping
Application Wrapping or app wrapping is a term that refers to a method of separating or segmenting your app and the rest of the device. This way, the data is in a secure environment.
Tia Campbell, Director of Marketing at Practice Reasoning Tests says “The MDM provider commonly provides this option automatically. You will need to set parameters to segment your apps. Moreover, you don’t need any coding to get the job done.”
3. API security
API is a valuable tool to keep your data of the application well-secured, primarily if you use third-party features or applications. Make sure only to use certified APIs. If not, there may be a potential slit where attackers can get in.
Bram Jansen, chief editor, vpnAlert recommends to use 256-SSL encryption to transfer data and avoid penetration during transit. Meanwhile, you can secure the data and device origin for static data or data at rest. APIs become one of the most strict data security in all situations.
4. Smartphone device management
Smartphone device management differs among developers. Therefore, iOS and Android have different security systems in the device. In this case, the developers’ ability to read the situation is put on the line because they must understand that stored data on the device can invite security threats.
The 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard is a significant consideration to keep your mobile app safe. Apple is well-known for its strict security, but app developers can use mobile device management (MDM) or mobile enterprise management (EMM) products.
Android users have a trickier way of managing their data security. You may consider using Android for Work (A4W), which can segment personal and professional apps.”
5. Security by design / Design for application security
You can also implement effective security strategies by considering the threat model. Animated sales video might help, but designing a security system requires specific skills and capabilities. So, it might be a steep step without mastering the field.
If you plan to develop an app, you may consider hiring a professional security team to test your security system. They will play as the attackers to find potential holes so that you can fix them immediately. Always mind data safety and security as your primary concern when developing an app.
Wrapping Up
An excellent security system is vital to secure your mobile app from cyber-attacks. If you’re not sure about this, you can always hire IT companies. You can develop a robust security game by thinking about any possible and potential gap where hackers can get in and reap the data.
Figuring out potential problems ahead doesn’t mean you’re being paranoid, but it helps you strengthen your security system within your mobile app. The above five points can guide you to develop a robust security system for your mobile apps against cyber-attacks. Also, make sure to do a constant check and monitoring to your security system.
