Taking a multi-pronged approach to protecting your application involves staying current with mobile app security best practices. We recommend these steps to keep your users safe, protect your intellectual property, and maintain a strong brand reputation.
The details of the specific security measures you’ll use to protect your mobile apps will continue to change as applications change. However, there are some examples of application security best practices that will always be an ideal baseline to follow.
There are plenty of application security examples that apply here. For example, adding input validation, output coding, and proper error handling to your application on both desktop and mobile devices can significantly improve its functionality. It can prevent common attempted attacks, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). Adopting these coding practices from the beginning of your development lifecycle makes your application more resilient against hacker exploitation.
Data encryption is essential for mobile application security because it provides multiple additional layers of protection. Using code and control flow obfuscation as encryption tools enables you to prevent injection attacks and adopt a layered approach to securing your application.
However, this should go beyond renaming your source code. While doing so changes the names of methods, variables, and other elements in your code to make them harder to understand, it still leaves some room for attackers to crack your source code.
Implementing and enhancing your authentication and authorization systems makes it more difficult for attackers to gain unauthorized access.
Implement multifactor authentication as a requirement and ensure that only authorized users with specific roles have access to sensitive data through role-based access control (RBAC). After all, it only takes one person not removed from your network to give out an old login, which can cause your organization a world of trouble.
One of the most critical ways to enhance security for mobile applications is to ensure the back end is secure. In many cases, this entails utilizing pruning features, such as those offered by Dotfuscator. These features enable you to more securely protect your source code by removing unused fields and types from the most vulnerable areas of your code.
This is essential for protecting your API’s endpoints. Input validation helps you add a protective layer to secure your API traffic. It is also necessary to ensure your app’s API follows the same best practices as your native application.
It provides hackers with a smaller surface area to exploit within your application.
The vast majority of applications rely on open-source libraries to some extent to function correctly. While this is great for saving hundreds of hours and utilizing reliable frameworks during the development process, it does leave your application vulnerable to known security issues.
One of the best ways to protect your open-source code from hackers is to update it as soon as updates become available for your libraries and frameworks, and to check for them regularly. This can help you prevent becoming the new Equifax and protect your user data.
Encrypted communication practices can make a significant difference in protecting the data that your users and apps exchange with each other. Some of the most trusted communication protocols include TLS and multifactor authentication for sensitive parts of your application.
This can prevent hackers from eavesdropping and reduce the likelihood of intermediary attacks while your users communicate with the app.
As the old saying goes, if you see something, say something.
Regularly educating your app’s user base and staff can help you prevent costly security breaches. Encourage them to report potential issues to you as soon as they’re aware—this can help you prevent serious problems due to a misclicked link or accidentally giving away their credentials through a phony version of your login page.
Ensure that everyone who touches your application is aware of your security practices, including the use of two-factor authentication (2FA) and not sharing your password or 2FA security code.
Regular reminders and training make it easier for your users to be alert.
Your security policies should adhere to industry security standards and regulations as much as possible. Reviewing and updating your policies regularly allows you to approach emerging cybersecurity threats proactively.
Regardless of what they’re doing with your application, whether developing new code or testing it later in the development process, your development and testing teams should always be aware of the standards they need to meet. Conducting training sessions with them makes this practice easier to enforce.
PreEmptive’s suite of mobile application protection programs enables developers to protect all types of mobile apps and keep their users safe. As hackers become increasingly sophisticated, PreEmptive’s tools enable you to utilize obfuscation, runtime checks, and other methods to protect your application.
PreEmptive provides multi-layered application defense with the following programs:
See what PreEmptive’s suite of application security tools can do to protect your app. Request your free trial.