Best Practices to Ensure High Security in Your Mobile Apps

The mobile revolution is at its peak today! Myriad mobile apps are being uploaded on the Google Play and App Store daily and the mobile application development market is expanding across the globe like never before. Yet, it is shocking to know that almost 75% of the apps fail in the basic security test. Well, security is one of the most crucial factors in the app which is often taken for granted.

This article will provide you a glimpse of the essential security measures to be taken during and after the mobile application development process is completed. Before we dive deeper into the article, let’s run through the top security lapses that could occur due to time constraints while building mobile apps

Common Security lapses in the Mobile Application Development Process

• Leaving the cache unchecked and not utilizing a cache cleaning cycle
• Applying weak or no encryption algorithms at all
• Accidentally picking up a code written by hackers
• Not using a reliable data storage system
• Ignoring the Binary protection
• Not securing the transport layer
• Neglecting the server-side security
• Not testing the mobile app thoroughly

Best Practices for Assuring Top-level Security in the Mobile Apps

Secured app code:

It is a primary and essential step to spend time on encrypting the code and thoroughly testing it for vulnerabilities during the development process. The mobile app developers should thoroughly review the code from security aspect before launching the app. It is essential to ensure security coding for the detection of jailbreaks, debugger detection control, checksum controls, etc.

Strong Authentication:

Weak authentication leads to several data breaches; hence, it is imperative to apply high-level authentication in the apps. Ensure that your app allows only strong passwords for this. Also, use two-factor authentication in the apps. Biometric authentication like fingerprints or retina scans is also being used nowadays in a host of apps to make it more secured.

Data Encryption:

Along with encrypting the code, all the data that is exchanged over the app must be well encrypted. In case the data is stolen, the hackers should not be able to access the data unless the security key is available. Different data encryption algorithms can be used like Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), RSA technique, Triple data integration standard, etc.

Security of Servers and Network Connections:

All the servers and networks accessed by mobile apps are the foremost target of hackers. To ensure their security, the use of an HTTPS connection is advised. APIs have to be verified thoroughly to avoid spying of data which is transferred from the client to servers . Also, the mobile apps must be scanned using the automated scanners from time-to-time. Extended security can be provided through encrypted connections or VPN (a virtual private network).

Safeguarding the Binary Files:

Ignoring the binary protection can enable hackers to induce malware in apps, can cause severe data thefts, etc. and ultimately lead to revenue losses in the long term. So, binary hardening procedures should be applied to protect the binary files against security threats. Different hardening techniques like Buffer overflow protection, Binary Stirring, etc can be used to combat this threat.

Having Secured API:

API is an integral part of Mobile app development which makes it all the more important to focus on securing them. Authorization, authentication, and identification are the vital security measures that create a robust and secured API. An API gateway can be integrated to increase the security of mobile apps. For secure communication between APIs, different authentications like OAuth and OAuth2 can be used.

Code Signing Certificates:

These certificates facilitate making the mobile code more secured. It is the process of digitally signing the scripts and executables by the certificate authority. It is for authentication of the author and ensuring that the code has not been modified or tampered by anyone else since the certificate was signed. For every mobile app developer or publisher, a Code Signing Certificate is a must.

Exhaustive Testing and Updating the Apps:

Rigorous Security testing before launching the apps and also after it is launched is advisable to avoid security loopholes in the apps. Thus, potential security issues can be identified proactively and worked upon. Also, updating the apps at regular intervals helps to remove the bugs that arise in the apps after launching.  

Wrap-up:

An unprotected mobile app can pose a threat to the entire system. On the other hand, a secured app can be highly reliable and lucrative. Ultimately, mobile app security should not be taken for granted as hackers and fraudsters are continually looking for opportunities to hack critical data and destroy the security of the apps. So, to develop a robust, powerful, and flawless mobile app with top-level security, all the factors mentioned in this article should be considered and applied accordingly.

If you are looking for a reliable technology partner, or you want to upgrade the security of your ongoing projects, contact Biz4Solutions now!

Biz4Solutions is an established mobile app development company, based in Texas. The company has a team of experts and experienced technical nerds who develop highly secure, user-centric, and robust mobile apps.