- Richard Clarke, Former White House Cybersecurity Advisor “If you spend more time on coffee than on IT security, you will be hacked. What’s more, you deserve to be hacked.” Technological advancements have equipped us with powerful tools and revolutionized the way we communicate, do business, and make transactions. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and providing users with a safe & secure mobile application is one aspect of that still needs big improvement. Ever since the Facebook Cambridge Analytica controversy, people are now even more concerned about their data security. mobile app development The are quite evident but sometimes it comes at a cost of compromising user data. In the pursuit of developing an exceptional look & feel, application creators often overlook the importance of mobile app security. This can prove to be rather damaging for both the user and the business in the long-run. benefits of mobile applications If you are on your way to making an app for or Android, you need to take foolproof measures in this department. Here are some ways you can incorporate these measures into mobile app development. iOS The Mobile App Security Checklist Secure the Source Code . No matter how much time and money you invest in an application, a weak code can ruin it all. So what do you do? Make the app’s source code secure by reducing its chances of being reverse engineered. Imagine installing a million-dollar home security system and then leaving the main gate open One way to achieve mobile app security is . This is a method that turns the source code into incomprehensible symbols and letters, making it almost impossible for hackers to decode it. This security measure is available in Android’s and also for iOS mobile applications. Obfuscation Pro-Guard Secure the Database In the tech world, . Be it Google, Facebook, or Amazon, they all rely on using to run their business using . They use user information like age, gender, location, preferences, and payment details to predict their behavior and act accordingly. Chances are, your app will run on this data too. data is king big data Artificial Intelligence (AI) Make this valuable information hack-proof by using technologies like when developing an application. end-to-end encryption Check Third-party Code’s safety Why bother writing new code, when it’s already available? It’s common practice to use pre-written code available online for free or even purchase it. This, however, is not always the right thing to do. According to a , only 16% of developers fully trust outsourced codes. survey Refrain from using and if they are required, make sure it’s not compromising mobile app security. third-party codes Choose APIs Wisely It is one of the backbones of mobile app development but it can also be a security-nightmare. Go for s that are compatible with the application’s platform and use an to make the app more secure. API API Gateway Get into the Hacker’s shoes It’s good to think from a user’s perspective when developing an application but it’s equally important to think like a hacker. Look for weaknesses & loopholes in your code, try to reverse engineer it, and imitate a cyber-criminal. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the code and confident that it will not risk mobile app security. Test, Test and Test again It’s never perfect. Studies suggest that over . One major reason is that programmers don’t perform enough tests. 60% of developers think their code is vulnerable to cyber-attacks They often leave it to the QA team to look for security loopholes, which is not a healthy practice. App security should be a priority and checks should be performed repeatedly at every step. Why Should you Care about Mobile App Security? “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and few minutes of cyber-incident to ruin it.” – Stephane Nappo Firstly, its the moral responsibility of the business owner to protect user data. Besides harming the consumer-seller trust, an information leak can cause financial and mental damage to a user too. Secondly, the regulatory authorities are now taking cyber-security seriously too. Ever since the Facebook Cambridge Analytica fiasco, there are harsh for tech businesses that are not compliant. penalties GDPR The security measures mentioned above are part of the bigger plan. Technology is changing at a fast pace and cyber-criminals are constantly evolving too. Mobile app developers need to stay up-to-date with the latest skills & tools. To develop an app that outsmarts any sort of security breach, you need to up the ante & stay one step ahead of the hackers.
