If you want to boost the effectiveness of your apps, you should always work on improving the security programs that protect the apps. The security program should also consider the platform on which your App will work in future.
You can choose different mobile application security testing programs and get to know the strength of your apps. If you notice any vulnerability, you should take immediate action and protect the app from various online threats.
Understand the topmost security threats for your apps
In this regard, understanding the top most threats is very important and you can get complete information through the OWASP community. The resources are available for free online and you can make the best use of it to secure your applications in the development phase. This is the best strategy to safeguard your app as you can build robust applications that can withstand complex online attacks in the future.
You will be surprised to know that many popular applications trending in the market also have several vulnerabilities that are listed in the top mobile application threats by the developer community.
Understand security threat from hackers
You need to be very careful when dealing with hacking attempts on your applications. Remember that, there is no standard method to deal with hacks because it varies a lot from one application to another and from one attacker to another.
In this situation, you should be very careful while collecting sensitive information from your users as they can get leaked and cause a lot of embarrassment to your company. It is a good idea to analyse the hacking attacks that were done in recent years so that you can learn from the experience and protect your apps from similar threats in future.
Security risks associated with rooted and jailbroken phones
When it comes to developing security applications for Android platform, you need to be aware of the fact that the operating system can be corrupted on some rooted mobile phones. In this situation, there will be a lot of vulnerabilities and you have to take all these factors into consideration while developing the security applications.
Similarly, the iOS platform is also susceptible to various vulnerabilities when your apps are being used in jailbroken phones. You have to analyse the different risks that come with using the application on such devices and protect your user data in the appropriate manner.
Security threats arising out of app permissions
You should also be aware of the security threats that come from app permissions. Many people provide network based location tracking permissions and this can be used by the attackers to access the location of the user.
Apart from that, you should also be careful while using Wi-Fi as many apps give permission to access such networks without checking the credentials of the network. Even simple apps like battery saver and other security apps require a lot of permissions from the users and this can be sometimes compromised by the attackers.
Manual security testing
When it comes to testing your security programs, you should always try the manual testing options in the initial stages. This will help you to deal with the major vulnerabilities of your application. After this is done successfully, you can install the RASP programs and get the detailed log of all the attacks attempted on your apps. This will help you to analyze the nature of attacks aimed towards your apps and you can fix the vulnerabilities in the future. If you notice repeated attempts of similar attacks, you can even alter the code according to the situation and prevent such spam attacks on your apps.
Automation testing solutions
This is a good idea when you have to deal with a host of cyber attacks from various sources. The automation tools will help you to test the apps with regards to various vulnerabilities. When you are trying these methods, make sure to keep your apps in maintenance mode as this may affect the performance of the apps on a temporary basis. However, this is very effective when it comes to scrutinizing the security level of your apps.
Security threat is different for Android and iOS
Many people do not understand the difference between android and iOS applications. The basic difference is that android is an open system and there are no strict rules with regards to posting the apps on the Google Play Store. This increases the risk of malicious apps and other programs that contain malware reaching the stores. The common public may not be aware of all the cyber security risks associated with these apps and they become susceptible to cyber attacks in the long run.
On the other hand, the iOS platform is more secure as this is a closed system of Apple networks and the rules for distribution of apps on the iTunes store is very strict. Every app that is uploaded into the iTunes store is tested for malware and other malicious programs. In this way, the apps are verified and it is relatively safer when compared to the apps you find on the Android platform.
As a developer, you need to understand the difference in terms of security threats associated with these two platforms. While designing the security program, you should keep in mind the specific security threats associated with using the above mentioned platforms. By taking this approach, you will be able to secure apps in a better way and provide the best experience for your users.
In this way, you can choose the security strategy according to the working of your app. While the social media and other apps intended to provide general information do not need intensive security programs, the ones that work on financial transactions and other critical areas need high level security programs.
You should also consider the amount of time spent on analysing the security threats and implementing the security programs in your app. You will be able to save a lot of time by including runtime application self protection programs. They reside within the app and protect the code from various online threats without your intervention.
