Preventing Data Breach in Mobile Apps

Mobile applications contain sensitive data which could prove catastrophic for businesses if it were leaked.

Data breaches can have devastating repercussions for brands and their customer bases, potentially leading to customer churn and business loss. Therefore, implementing adequate security measures is vitally important to prevent such events from occurring.

Secure communication protocols and local storage encryption are critical in protecting users from cyber attackers attempting to gain access to user sensitive data, while code obfuscation helps avoid reverse engineering attacks.

Encryption

An app contains large amounts of sensitive data that cybercriminals would love to take advantage of for illicit gain, including both user data and that belonging to its developer. To protect themselves against this happening, developers should opt for secure cloud storage solutions when storing user information.

This technique transforms information into code that can only be accessed by authorized users, protecting it from hackers attempting to interpret or steal the data and helping prevent tampering and reverse engineering attacks.

Malicious criminals are continually looking for opportunities to exploit security weaknesses and steal sensitive data or corporate intellectual property, which can have severe financial repercussions for both small and midsized businesses and their customers. Furthermore, breaches may also damage a company’s reputation and decrease trust between employees and customers. That is why having a mobile app that utilizes strong encryption features and other security measures as well as training employees on how to recognize and respond to social engineering attacks is so essential.

Passwords

Many apps require passwords in order to prevent users from repeatedly entering the same credentials into an app server, yet when these passwords are stored locally on mobile devices or passed directly unencrypted they’re vulnerable to being harvested by hackers who could exploit these weaknesses and use them against users.

Weak passwords account for most data breaches, so it is vital that employees utilize strong, unique passwords which include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Furthermore, they should avoid including personally identifiable information (e.g. birthdays, children or pet’s names or car models) into their passwords.

Hackers can exploit mobile app security flaws that allow them to run malware on a user’s device and steal confidential business data or manipulate apps into spreading malware, for instance. Penetration testing on mobile apps to check for vulnerabilities is crucial; by simulating malicious attacker actions it helps developers discover flaws that hackers might exploit.

Permissions

App permissions don’t always represent malicious intentions, yet distinguishing between “normal” and “dangerous” permissions remains murky. For instance, viewing Wi-Fi connections doesn’t inherently expose user data – however when combined with microphone access permission it could prove potentially hazardous.

Before downloading an app, it is crucial that all available permissions are considered. Furthermore, data storage should be limited as much as possible and any stored information encrypted against possible breaches.

Hackers have increasingly targeted mobile devices, so it is crucial that you implement strong security practices to safeguard your sensitive information. Loss of control could result in identity theft or financial losses; to reduce this risk, test apps for vulnerabilities regularly. For even further security, enable two-factor authentication where possible for increased protection of apps and data.

Local Storage

Mobile Applications that transmit data between clients and servers via carrier networks are particularly susceptible to hacker attack, with hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in this transit to gain access to end user information and expose private details – potentially leading to privacy violations, customer churn and revenue losses for businesses.

Local storage is a method in which JavaScript stores key-value pairs within a browser’s memory, making it an efficient way of creating single page apps with quick reopen times. However, its usage should only be limited to data that does not exceed 5MB and that uses strings as data types.

Attackers can reverse engineer your app to gain access to its backend database and encryption algorithms, which they can then exploit for profit. They could also use Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks against data sent between it and your server resulting in Data Breaches which cause irreparable brand damage and revenue losses for businesses.