6 Tips for App Developers to Maximize Mobile App Data Security
If you think that the emergence of cutting edge security technologies and tools helped reduce security concerns, you are wrong. Actually, the same techniques are available to the hackers and all those behind the curtain malware producers as well. So, the latest security technologies actually work more like double-edged swords. This is why following best data security practices are so important for the mobile app developers and strategists.
If you don’t follow the right security protocols, malicious attacks can do a lot of damage to your app performance, user privacy and app data. Some of these dangers involve the following.
● Malware injection through apps and devices to access crucial data, in-app behavior and keystrokes and to steal screen lock password.
● Tampering the code of the app to produce a spoof app with the intention of injecting malware.
● Unduly accessing crucial information that passes through the airwaves.
● Customer data theft to falsify user identity and do fraudulent practices.
● Unauthorized access to intellectual properties and business assets.
● Unauthorized access to IP address or network settings.
Considering these security vulnerabilities and threats, the developers must follow some tried and tested best practices. Here we are going to explain some widely acclaimed and recommended best practices for the mobile app developers to ensure optimum security for their apps.
Utilize Considerable Security Resources
This may sound like a common principle, but it still needs to be emphasized, considering the fact that resource-crunch is still a major problematic area. When developers are in the process of building a mobile app, they need to have all the facilities and tools to boost security measures and app performance.
There are several instances when a mobile app development company is provided with enough resources for security. The developers with a bigger room can better implement the app security measures. Even if the app does very well the tasks, it is meant to perform, keeping the user data safe and secure remains to be a challenge.
The developers need to set aside a considerable fund to address security issues and vulnerabilities. Besides performance, the resources and development efforts should be highly focused to make the app secure from security threats.
Ensure Securing The Code
The necessary and foremost important step to ensure optimum data security for any mobile app is to incorporate the security attributes at the very codebase. Some well tested and tried security measures actually can help you optimize the security at the code level. You can use methods such as content controls to minimize the copy and paste activities, and you can use some restrictions to prevent the user from accessing some part of the website meant for administrators.
Most common security attacks basically happen because of the vulnerabilities at the code level and inability to prevent injection of malicious scripts. Other common procedures that can enhance the mobile app security to a great extent include improved authentication, jailbreak protection and optimized data encryption at all vulnerable points.
Test The Vulnerability of The Code
Now that you have incorporated security measures to prevent vulnerabilities and security flaws, you need to ensure that the app code is tested and reviewed correctly. At the very start of a development project, you need to have a security review process. The DevOps agile approach, with its concurrent testing mechanism, can be very useful and efficient in this respect. You should always bring together software developers and testers to identify bugs and errors more efficiently. Some of the key testing techniques that can be useful for data security include data security testing, network security tests and penetration testing.
Focus On Addressing Security Flaws of APIs
Different mobile apps communicate with each other for sharing features or contents. This becomes possible thanks to the application programming interface or API. These APIs becoming key components to incorporate elements from other apps are also tremendously vulnerable to security threats and all kinds of scopes leading to data loss. This is why experts need to address such security flaws.
Using an API key can be a considerable measure to prevent all kinds of unsolicited apps from accessing data or from making any changes. Using API gateways is also useful in securing interaction and collaboration among multiple apps.
Use Better Authentication Methods
Some of the standard and most frequently reportedly security issues basically stem from the weak user authentication method with mobile apps. If you want to screen out the vast majority of security threats at a very early stage, it is imperative to use a sound and robust authentication method. Let us explain some of the ways authentication can be improved.
● First of all, always encourage users to use stronger passwords with a minimum number of characters that include numeric symbols and alphabet. Don’t allow the users to use the same password for more than a couple of months and prevent them from using the same password over and over again.
● Another method to strengthen the authentication is to use dual-factor authentication involving security code sent via email or phone call or text message.
Be Cautious About Using Third-party Libraries
As the app development, these days is increasingly getting modular and component-based in approach, and it has become a common practice among the developers to use third-party libraries to incorporate ready to use features and functions. But the third-party libraries are often vulnerable to security threats and malware attacks from a security point of view. This is why developers should always use third-party libraries from tested and well-known sources.
The same principle goes for the APIs that are used for integrating third-party libraries and services. As APIs are increasingly being considered as one of the most valuable areas for cyber security risks, the developers are advised to use APIs carrying some sort of stamps of authorization and reliability.
Conclusion
The above mentioned best practices for boosting mobile app security bear the testimony of how security concerns are steadily increasing with the proliferation and growth of mobile apps. Since security is something that no app can compromise, you need to give these practices a priority across your app development projects.
