People today spend 90% of their time on mobile phones. Now we have stepped into a mobile-first world where nothing is stationary. Rapid changes in this digital world are happening faster than we can keep up, including how we live, work, and play. As mobile app usage has skyrocketed, so has the number of malicious apps and cyberattacks.
In 2021, 97% of companies reported being victims of a mobile security breach, and the average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million.
15 Best Practices to Secure Mobile Apps
Mobile app security should be at the forefront of every organization’s mind, yet many fail to address the risks. Here are many best practices that you can implement to secure mobile apps that we will discuss in detail in this article. So, let’s get started.
1) Start from the Development Stage for Mobile App Security – Right from the Development Stage
Development teams should consider security at every stage of the development process from the start. Also, security must be a preference and not an afterthought. It will give you an excellent framework to start with and help you avoid potential issues later on.
Let’s take an example:
Suppose you are building a banking app. You would need to ensure that the app is secure and meets all the requirements of a banking app. This includes data security, authentication, authorization, etc. Also, it is essential to consider these aspects early on in the development process.
Pro Tips:
- Use strong passwords and authentication mechanisms.
- Store data securely on the device and in remote databases.
- Protect against unauthorized access.
- Use data encryption for storage and transmission.
2) Implement Security Policies & Procedures for Mobile App Development & Testing.
Once you have considered security in the development process, the next step is to implement policies and procedures for mobile app development and testing. Also, it is important to have a secure development environment and use only trusted tools and services.
Furthermore, you should have a well-defined process for testing the security of your app before it is released. Testing the app on different devices and operating systems is also essential.
Pro Tips:
- You can use static analysis tools to identify potential security issues in the code.
- You can use dynamic analysis tools to test the app for vulnerabilities.
3) Conduct Regular Security Audits of Your Mobile Apps
After implementing security policies and procedures, it is essential to conduct periodic security audits of your mobile apps. These audits can help you identify potential security issues and take corrective action.
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All mobile apps should be audited at least once a year. However, if you are releasing new app versions frequently, you should consider conducting audits more often.
Pro Tips:
- You can use automated tools to conduct security audits.
- Try to get your app audited by an independent third party.
4) Use Encryption to Protect data in transit and at rest.
Data encryption is one of the most useful ways to protect data. When data is encrypted, unauthorized users transform it into an unreadable format.
Encryption should be used for all data in transit, including over the internet and on removable media. Additionally, you should consider encrypting data at rest, such as on servers and databases.
Pro Tips:
- Use SSL/TLS to encrypt data in transit.
- Also, use AES or other robust algorithms to encrypt data at rest.
- Use digital signatures to ensure the integrity of data.
5) Use Secure Coding Practices to Build Robust mobile apps.
Secure coding practices help to ensure that mobile apps are built in a way that minimizes security risks. These practices include using secure coding frameworks, avoiding insecure coding practices, and following security best practices.
Businesses should also hire mobile app developers who are trained in secure coding practices. It is also important to use only trusted libraries and frameworks.
Pro Tips:
- Use only trusted libraries and frameworks.
- Avoid insecure coding practices.
- Follow security best practices.
6) Leverage third-party Security Solutions for Added protection.
Third-party security solutions can provide an extra layer of protection for mobile apps. Also, these solutions include security platforms, mobile security tools, and API security gateways.
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All businesses should consider using these solutions to protect their mobile apps. However, it is crucial to vet any third-party security solution before using it carefully.
Pro Tips:
- Use a security platform to protect your mobile app.
- Also, use a mobile security tool to protect your device.
- Use an API security gateway to protect your data.
- Try to use solutions from well-known vendors.
7) Educate your Employees on Mobile App Security Best Practices:
Your employees should be aware of mobile app security best practices. Also, they should know how to identify potential security risks and avoid them.
Additionally, your employees should know what to do if they suspect that their device has been compromised.
Pro Tips:
- Train your employees on how to use secure passwords.
- Instruct your employees on what to do if their device is compromised.
8) Regularly Update your Mobile Apps with the Latest Security Patches.
Vendors to address known vulnerabilities in their products release security patches. Also, updating your mobile apps with the latest security patches is one of the best ways to protect them from attacks.
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Businesses should make sure that they update their mobile apps regularly with the latest security patches. In addition, they should also test these updates before deploying them.
Pro Tips:
- Use an automated tool to manage updates.
- Test updates before deploying them.
- Deploy updates as soon as they are available.
9) Create a Plan for Responding to Mobile App Security Incidents.
If your mobile app is compromised, you will need to plan to respond to the incident. This plan should include who will respond. Also, what steps will be taken and how to report the incident?
Businesses should also practice responding to mobile app security incidents. This will help to ensure that they are prepared if an incident occurs.
Pro Tips:
- Create a plan for responding to mobile app security incidents.
- Practice responding to mobile app security incidents.
- Have a designated team responsible for responding to incidents.
10) Monitor your Mobile App Ecosystem for Security Threats.
Monitoring your mobile app ecosystem for security threats is essential for keeping your app secure. You should monitor for new risks, vulnerabilities, and changes in the behavior of users and devices.
Many tools and services can help you monitor your mobile app ecosystem. Also these include mobile security platforms, application performance management tools, and network security solutions.
Pro Tips:
- Use an application performance management tool to monitor for changes in behavior.
- Use a network security solution to monitor your mobile app ecosystem.
- Monitor for new risks and vulnerabilities.
11) Code-signing Certificate for your Mobile Apps.
Code-signing certificates are a way of verifying the developer’s identity of a mobile app. They also help to ensure that the app has not been tampered with.
Businesses should consider using code-signing certificates to protect their mobile apps. Also, it is essential to use a reputable certificate authority and keep the certificates up-to-date.
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Additionally, it will be helpful to educate your employees on how to identify tampered apps. So they can avoid installing them on their devices.
Pro Tips:
- Use code-signing certificates from a reputable authority.
- Keep certificates up-to-date.
- Educate your employees on how to identify tampered apps.
12) Install Anti-virus Software on your Mobile Devices.
Anti-virus software can help to protect your mobile devices from malware. There are many different types of anti-virus software available, so you will need to choose the right one for your needs.
You should install anti-virus software on all mobile devices accessing your app. Also, this will help to protect your app from being compromised by malware.
Pro Tips:
- Use reputable anti-virus software.
- Install anti-virus software on all mobile devices that will be accessing your app.
- Keep the anti-virus software up-to-date.
13) Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to Access Corporate Resources.
A VPN can help to protect your mobile devices from being compromised when connected to public Wi-Fi networks. Also, it will encrypt the data sent between your device and the corporate network, making it more difficult for attackers to intercept.
Businesses can also control which apps and websites can access corporate resources with VPNs. It will help keep your data secure when accessing your app from a public Wi-Fi network.
Pro Tips:
- Use a reputable VPN provider.
- Configure the VPN correctly before connecting to it.
- Use the VPN to access corporate resources.
14) Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) Solution.
A mobile device management (MDM) solution can help businesses secure and manage their mobile devices. MDM solutions can be used to enforce security policies, track devices, and remotely wipe or lock lost or stolen devices.
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MDM solutions can also be used to install applications and updates on devices. It is essential to choose a reputable MDM solution that offers a high level of security.
Pro Tips:
- Use a reputable MDM solution.
- Choose an MDM solution that offers a high level of security.
- Try to find an MDM solution that can automate the management of your devices.
15) Regularly Back-Up your Mobile Devices.
Another way to protect your mobile devices is to back them up regularly. It will help ensure that you will still have access to your data if your device is lost or stolen.
There are many different ways to back up your data. Also, you can use cloud-based services or back up your data to a local storage device.
Pro Tips:
- Regularly back up the data on your mobile devices.
- Use cloud-based services or a local storage device to back up your data.
Conclusion:
Businesses can take many security steps to protect their mobile apps. But, it is also vital to remember that security is a never-ending process. You should continually update your security measures to keep up with the latest threats.
Code-signing certificates, anti-virus software, and VPNs can all help to protect your app from being compromised. Additionally, mobile device management solutions can help businesses manage and secure their mobile devices.
Finally, regularly backing up your mobile devices will help to ensure that; you still have access to your data if your device is lost or stolen. So, you can do a few things to protect your business’s mobile app.
By following these major mobile app security practices, you can help to keep your app safe from attack. You can also get in touch with a mobile app development company for better assistance. They will guide you better. Thanks for Reading!