Home Tips & Tricks In this world of technology, where everything is accessible with a single tap, having good security is very important. And the need for secure applications increases when it comes to your data. Mobile phone applications offer a lot of productivity over various operating systems, but that can also make them easy bait for data breaches. No one wants their private and valuable data accessible for any unethical person to look into. To prevent that, developers and consumers must follow rigorous steps to ensure everything is safe and sound. It can help improve user experience, build a safe environment for all, and, most importantly, allow people to enjoy their smartphones fully. If you don’t follow the guidelines, it could lead to Revenue Loss or Fraud Unauthorized access to private data Intellectual property theft Brand Damage Developers and consumers can follow these simple yet effective steps to ensure their data is safe. And anything they do on the mobile applications is only limited to them. Keep reading as we explore these methods to safeguard your privacy and take the smartphone world safer. What's Inside Toggle1) HTTPS Encryption2) Use Strong Authentication Measures3) Regularly Update Your Application4) Use Encryption to Protect the Data5) Test Your Application Regularly6) Implement Appropriate Authorization Measures7) Implement Secure Coding PracticesConclusion 1) HTTPS Encryption Mobile phones have become the one thing most of us rely on, with our time, money, and, most importantly, our valuable data. And all this is at stake when we download and use the applications. Most malware attacks occur at the time of payment as it involves critical information regarding your bank and other personal details. Attackers can easily log in and empty your accounts without you knowing. It will leave you with empty banks and a bad reputation. To prevent that from happening, HTTPS encryption plays an important role. Every application must connect itself to the servers, which must occur via safe HTTPS encryption. Developers should ensure that data transfer between the app and server must be secure and that no anyone reads it for data theft. Public WiFis are the easiest spot for hackers as they can easily send malware. Users might enjoy free WiFi without knowing what is happening in the back. An attacker might modify the contents of HTTP to cause trouble for app users. They might start to experience ads, and the app might start working weirdly, and even so, their data gets leaked. For example, buying something online and putting in your banking details. If there is not a secure SSL certificate working on the app. The details will be shared with anyone who is eavesdropping on the server. And that can lead to funds & data loss for the consumers. Moreover, the brand image of the app will also be negatively affected. To ensure the consumers are safe, developers can ensure the server is set up with a trusted SSL certificate. So the communication between the app and server is safe from any MITM attacks. 2) Use Strong Authentication Measures Often mobile applications come with the option of choosing authentication measures. These methods allow only the true data owner to enter into the ecosystem. No one wants unauthorized people to enter the application by guessing the password or attacking it with unethical software. Developers can allow strong authentication measures to prevent your data from being breached. At the same time, consumers should take full benefit from it and create unique passwords that are only known to them. Some of the useful methods are as below. A strong password or PIN code that is not easily guessable. Avoid using easy passwords like 1234, 0000, or something very common. Using fingerprint or face id access to access the applications is also a good option as it can not be duplicated easily. Two-factor authentication, such as OTP codes and email notifications every time you log in, can also be useful in protecting your data. Using OTP codes is also important in protecting your data and not allowing random people to log in even if they get a hold of your passcode. Consumers should also refrain from telling their passwords to anyone, even those they trust. Moreover, whenever you log in to a public PC, ensure you log out to prevent data theft. Another important practice is to choose different passwords for every mobile application. If you have the same password for every app, a data breach for one app could likely lead to losing every app’s security. 3) Regularly Update Your Application Mobile applications are updating themselves now and then for improved data security. Often consumers don’t update their applications because they don’t feel any improved user experience or have an issue with storage. But they don’t see the bright side of having added securities. If your applications are updated to the latest versions, they have less chance of getting your data leaked. Regular updates should not be avoided at any cost, as one might not feel much change on the interface. But, the developers are working hard on the backend to make their apps more secure. Developers should also work more on this part of their application. They should not only limit themselves to improving the UI/UX, as having a secure application plays an equally important role in optimizing user experience. If consumers have any risk of leaking data, they would soon switch to other apps which they are more comfortable using. 4) Use Encryption to Protect the Data We all like connecting our mobile devices to WiFi as soon as possible. Consumers want to stay connected to the world and share their stories. However, they overlook the risk of middle attacks over the WiFi. Most of them have no clue that the WiFi they enjoy might be attacking them on the backend. Therefore, all communication must be encrypted. And that can be done only by the developers of the app. However, consumers should stay away from free WiFi and not download applications from third-party apps. The developers should make it their duty to encrypt the code of the application by using asymmetric and symmetric methods. Malicious software repacks popular applications and makes them rogue. Consumers download these applications without even thinking for a second. Developers should ensure their apps are not vulnerable to reverse engineering attacks as they can badly affect the brand image. 5) Test Your Application Regularly This method is purely for all the developers out there. Unfortunately, some of them forget the importance of regularly testing their applications. After the apps are available in the app stores, they forget about them and start working on something else. However, they should make regular app testing necessary to enhance user experience. It allows them to look into where the app is lacking and helps prevent security breaches. Moreover, this process can be done with the help of various automated testing tools. Or else, they can manually test the app every once in a while to know the actual security performance of their work. 6) Implement Appropriate Authorization Measures Another way to prevent random users from entering the application is by implementing appropriate authorization measures. It means users can define roles of how much access someone has. For instance, if you are allowing your friends or family to benefit from a subscription-based application. Consumers can define their role, such as not allowing them to change passwords, look into private details, etc. This way, the data is much safer even if you willingly share your passcodes. If everyone is given specific permission, it allows them to enjoy the app without being able to modify the data in any way. Furthermore, users can identify location-based permissions. If you have sensitive data on an app, you can restrict it to just your home or office. So you can be safe from random attacks anywhere in the world. 7) Implement Secure Coding Practices Security must be the main concern while developing the app and should also be considered while planning it. Developers should pay extra attention to writing code and ensure it is safe from every angle. Mobile apps are more vulnerable to attacks than web applications; thus, they need extra care at every step. Even one line in the sea of code can make the application vulnerable to malware attacks and losing consumers’ data. Various automated security testing tools ensure the code is up to the mark and has no weak points. They must secure the coding by applying a code signing certificate for an extra layer of protection. Moreover, developers should be trained on the importance of security and understanding the app’s vulnerability. Conclusion Data is the new oil, and everyone is running behind it. Some applications ask for your data nicely, whereas unethical hackers try to take it away forcefully. The data stealers are getting smarter every day, and so should the consumers. Every application you download on your phone should be reliable. As your data is the one thing, you need to be extra careful about. At the same time, developers should take all the necessary steps to ensure every consumer is safe. Only then more and more people would trust them with their private data. Be it regularly testing your app, encrypting the data, or using an SSL. Every step has value, and every measure should be taken for optimal user experience. These 7 tips to secure your mobile application were helpful to you in making the right choice. If you have any more methods you want the audience to know, let us know in the comments, and we will be more than happy to add them.
