10 Security Issues: App Developers need to know while Developing a Mobile App
In the world of technology and online platforms, the role of mobile applications has increased in converting more difficult tasks into simpler ones.
People of today’s generation love to get advanced features in their mobile apps, and that is why, as an mobile app developer, you should try to develop useful and trustworthy mobile applications by keeping mobile app security issues in mind.
If your developed app is not perfect when it comes to security, then users will refuse to download or use those apps.
Nowadays, mobile development hackers are the main threat to developed mobile apps. They can access personal and essential information of the mobile app users and spitefully use it.
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Some stats related to cyber attacks
According to a report, it stated that 43% of cyber-attacks are mainly targeting small businesses in which mobile apps and web apps are no exceptions.
Even though an application that tested, also possess one vulnerability, with the median number of vulnerabilities rising to 15 from 11 in 2017.
According to the report released by Gartner, worldwide spending on cyber security is forecasted to reach US$ 133.7 billion by 2022.
In the first half of 2019, 4.1 billion records exposed to data breaches.
More than 24,000 malicious mobile apps blocked every day in the world.
Therefore, mobile app developers should concern these mobile application vulnerabilities/mobile application security issues while developing professional mobile applications for both Android and IOS platforms.
As a developer, you can use advanced security options in your developed mobile app or software to avoid the upper-mentioned application development security issues.
Also Read: Top 5 key features for successful mobile app
If you don’t know much about how you can develop mobile apps with advanced security features, then check the following ideas:
1 . Encryption of mobile app data
The mobile app developers will love to prevent unauthorized access to their mobile apps by offering encryption concepts in the developing ways of mobile applications.
Encryption is the way to transfigure the data transmitting into such a form that it cannot be read by anyone else without decryption.
This can be an effective way of controlling the misuse of your developed applications.
Even a hacker stole the data; they can’t decrypt the actual information of the mobile app, which is of no use to the hackers.
Hence, it is a trustworthy idea and one of the best practices to secure your mobile apps from hackers.
2.Write a highly secured code
This is one of the main reasons why hackers able to access the data of mobile applications due to the general formatting of the security codes.
So, whenever you are developing any mobile application, you prefer to build highly secure codes.
According to research, 11.6 million devices are being affected by malicious code.
Most of the hackers can reverse engineer your app code and use it negatively, so try to create some security codes, which are not easy to break.
The app developers need to use the best quality codes for helping their users to avoid security issues in their apps.
Also read: How can Blockchain wallet secure online payments?
3. Prefer authorized application program interface
In the building process of your codes, you have to use an authorized application program interface or API.
If you don’t use authorized API, then hackers can easily access your authentication information and data quickly. The app developers can use central authorization during the building process of their app’s code.
Most of the experienced professionals recommend having a central authorization for the entire API to gain supreme security in mobile applications.
4. Use libraries carefully
It is also necessary for the mobile app developers to prefer the trustable third-party libraries because often-mobile app code requires the third-party libraries for the code building.
You have to choose the library carefully because some of them are not as trustworthy as you have thought.
The developers have to skip use flaws in their library, for not allowing hackers to access their developed apps/developing mobile apps.
5. Use high standard Authentication
When you don’t want applications development security issues in your developed apps, then you must use high standard authentication.
Weak authentication is one of the first vulnerabilities in developing a mobile application.
As a developer, user authentication should be considered vital from a security point of view.
Currently, one of the most common modes of authentication is via password, so the developer needs to build a firm password policy so that it cannot be broken easily.
Another way to secure your mobile apps is multi-factor authentication, which can be achieved by utilizing OTP login. You can create more secure authentication using biometrics.
These simple steps will help mobile app users to stay away from the threats of hackers.
6. Use of proper cryptography tools & techniques
Key management is a significant step when it comes to encryption of your data, so make clear that you don’t hardcore your encryption keys.
Use the right protocols for encryption such as SHA256 and AES.
One of the essential points to remember is never to store your keys on local devices (Laptops, mobiles, or tablets) and use the advanced & most trusted encryption methods for securing mobile applications.
7. Keep user’s convenience always in your mind
The app builders must not build redundant network connections, while you want to satisfy your customers. The app developers have to keep the convenience of their users always in their minds. They can’t afford to develop such codes, which are even hard for their users to access.
The code developed by you in the mobile app should not be a privilege for everyone. Hackers are always in search of finding opportunity in any well-structured mobile application. This simple way can also help the app developers to create a trustworthy mobile app free of security issues.
8. Develop tamper detection techniques for your app
This method is to get alerts whenever your code is being changed or modified.
Often it is very crucial to have a log of code changes of your mobile application so that the malicious programmer does not inject harmful code in your application.
So better to maintain triggers for your mobile app to keep track of activities.
9. Have proper session management
Session handling is a crucial function in app building that needs extra care as the sessions on mobile are usually longer than desktop sessions.
Because of this, session management should be done to maintain mobile app security in case of lost or stolen devices, and it should be done with the help of tokens rather than identifiers.
While developing an app, you should provide the facility of remote log off and wipe off to protect data of lost devices.
10. Repeated test
Security for an app is a never-ending process. Every day numerous security phases are changing, and up gradations are entering the market with the latest security trends to protect or save the application.
Using security patches in your mobile application with every new version and update released is so much helpful for the mobile app owners.
So it is better to choose emulators and penetration testing to get a clear picture of the vulnerabilities in your mobile app so that they can reduce further.
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Conclusion
These are some of the best and top practices that a mobile app developer must follow to have a fully secure and difficult to crack mobile app.
In recent times, cyber security has proven its importance and now clients are showing more interest in securing applications.
In the coming up feature security will act as one of the competing and differing in the mobile app world with customers preferring secure apps to maintain secrecy and privacy of their data over other mobile applications.
Are you need of app developer to secure your mobile app.
Our technical team will help you in fixing up your security issues.