How to Develop Secure Mobile Apps?

“If you put a key under the mat for the cops, a burglar can find it, too. Criminals are using every technology tool at their disposal to hack into people’s accounts. If they know there’s a key hidden somewhere, they won’t stop until they find it.” - Tim Cook, CEO Apple Inc.

Smartphones utility has been increased worldwide that we hardly think of a day without it. It allows us to do nearly everything online—from anywhere, at any time. The use of dedicated mobile apps is also increasing and is completely dominating mobile internet usage. We can do our banking, track our fitness, control Internet of Things devices in our homes, shop, and even work remotely using mobile apps. Users store anything and everything on their mobile devices, even there are certain apps that allow users to keep their documents on the cloud, but are these mobile apps really secure and protected from malicious hackers?

Hackers with malicious intent can:
a) Inject malware into apps and onto devices where it can access data, store keystrokes, and steal screen lock passcodes
b) Tamper with or copy your app’s code and reverse-engineer a spoof app containing malware
Intercept sensitive information traveling over the airwaves
c)Steal customer data for identity theft or fraud purposes
d) Get hold of intellectual property and private business assets
e) Access your IP or compromise your company’s back-end network
f) Users expect apps to be secure and their privacy should be protected. If you don't build a secure app, how will you protect their data?

What can you do to secure your mobile app?
Mobile app security refers to the enforcement of access and data protection measures for individual apps. If you’re creating an app or have an app in the market, you need to think of how to secure your app, your data, and your customer’s data.

Here’s a look at a few tips for you to consider with mobile app security, and which experts can help you protect your mobile assets from every angle.

1. Start building a secure app
Mobile apps need to be secured from day one of development. The mobile app developers need to make sure that the mobile app code is highly secured with well-supported algorithms coupled with API encryption.  Code needs to be scanned and tested thoroughly for any existing vulnerability. While taking care of the security, the developer needs to keep in mind things like file size, runtime memory, performance, and data and battery usage otherwise it would adversely affect the performance and user experience. Moreover, developer should follow the app store's guidelines to build a secure app otherwise it won't be approved.

2. Network connection at the backend needs to be secured
Servers and cloud servers that an app’s APIs are accessing (your own, or third-party) should have security measures in place to protect data and prevent unauthorized access. APIs and those accessing them should be verified to prevent eavesdropping on sensitive information passing from the client back to the app’s server and database.

3. Put identification, authentication, and authorization measures in place
Apps should allow the user to login through their respective credentials and provide them an extra layer of security to protect their personal data. There might be a case when your app relies on someone else’s API for functionality, use caution. You’re relying on their code to be secure. Make sure the APIs your app uses only provide access to the parts of your app that are absolutely necessary to minimize vulnerability.

4. Implement a good mobile encryption policy
There are many apps that collect data in the background like age, location, device usage habits or the sensitive data like passwords, bank details, credit card information, etc. Database should be protected with the high level of encryption policy and if the data is getting stored directly on a device, make sure it is also secure so that the data won't be leaked in any case.

5. Test your app software—then test again
Apps need to be tested properly before publishing it to the app market. It is one of the important steps in the Apps development process. When testing for functionality and usability, it should also be tested for security, whether your app is a native, hybrid, or web app to detect any vulnerabilities in advance.
With a solid mobile security strategy and a top-notch India app developers on hand to help you respond quickly to threats and bugs, your app will be a safer, more secure place for users—and ensure their loyalty for the future. For more, visit http://www.debutinfotech.com/