Mobile applications are becoming an increasingly vulnerable gateway for hackers to steal information from users and businesses alike. From accessing microphones and cameras to finding the location of a user’s device, mobile applications offer hackers access to the personal information of unsuspecting users. Recent reports have shown that over 25 million Android phones are vulnerable to attack via installed applications. As hackers become savvier, the number of mobile application attacks will continue to increase drastically. By implementing proper mobile application security and mobile application vulnerability testing procedures, enterprises can remain safe even as attacks rise.
Mobile Application Security Pitfall One: Password Security
Whether users admit it or not, many are guilty of using the same password across devices and accounts.In fact, over 70% of users use the same password across most of their accounts. By compromising the password of one user’s device or application, hackers are often given unfettered access to an entire network of sensitive data, which can lead to an attack on that user’s enterprise. To add an additional layer of security when building mobile applications, multifactor authentication is a must to assure no users are at risk of attack.
Mobile Application Security Pitfall Two: Data Encryption
Encryption is the exercise of transposing information and data into indecipherable code that should only be viewable if it has been translated using an authorized key. Unfortunately, however, hackers are masters of decrypting sensitive data and can access information without an authorized key. Even though encryption is the obvious first step in protecting sensitive information, over 10% of enterprise devices do not have encryption enabled. Without encryption, hackers can easily view certain bits of application data in plain text. With RevBits Mobile App Security services, organizations can verify that an application’s code is securely encrypted and guarantee all user data is safe.
Mobile Application Security Pitfall Three: Data Storage
By accessing a device, or in some cases a database, a hacker is able to corrupt applications with insecure data storage practices and funnel the data to their own networks. Data from mobile applications can be made insecure in many different ways — SQL databases, cookies, binary data — and can be impacted by vulnerabilities in the operating system, frameworks, compilers and more. RevBits Mobile App Security conducts a complete code analysis of mobile applications to reveal any improper data storage occurring within an enterprise’s application.
Mobile applications are some of the most vulnerable pieces of technology today. To help mitigate some of the risks of these applications, app stores are tightening security and removing apps that jeopardize user information. With help from RevBits mobile application vulnerability testing experts, organizations can verify that their application’s code is secure and guarantee all user data is safe.
Originally published at https://www.revbits.com.
