APP SECURITY IN APP DEVELOPMENT
AVOID SECURITY GAPS IN APPLICATIONS
Online banking, passwords, personal data – today we enter sensitive data into the form fields of smartphone apps or web applications with relative ease. In addition to apps that actively fish for data and thus fall into the area of cybercrime, the security of reputable apps is also playing an increasingly important role.
As an app development agency, we feel responsible for the security of our apps. We have looked into the topic of app security in detail and have come across six areas that we pay particular attention to when developing a secure app:
SECURITY-RELEVANT AREAS IN APP DEVELOPMENT
1. DATA STORAGE
Sensitive user data such as usernames, passwords or addresses are often shared with third parties. This should never happen without the active consent of the user and only when absolutely necessary. Sensitive user data should also not appear in the application log and should also never be saved in backups with other data.
Passwords and PINs may only be displayed in encrypted form when using the app. This data is stored securely in the Keystore or Keychain, so that it is possible, for example, to remain logged in to the app.
Hardly anyone knows that the keyboard cache must be deactivated by the user so that memory contents cannot be read. The application cache should generally be deleted at regular intervals.
2. DATA "ON AIR"
Malicious programs can also intercept data from the air, e.g. via a network's WLAN. Therefore, network requests should only be permitted by authenticated users and sent exclusively to confidential sources. In public networks (hotspots, etc.), user data can be protected by SSL pinning or certificate pinning. This also prevents „man in the middle“ attacks.
3. AUTHENTICATION & AUTHORIZATION
Today, authentication is quick and convenient for users thanks to face or fingerprint ID - but this barrier is easier to crack and less robust than a secure password or PIN. No matter what: the "authentication" barrier offers the user an increased feeling of security and creates trust.
4. INTEGRITY
Rooting or Jailbreaking - this popular practice is actually used to install pirated copies of games or apps or to expand the limited functions of the smartphone. In fact, rooting or jailbreaking opens the way for dangerous security gaps. A reputable app should recognize the process and abort the execution on its own initiative - even if there is a risk of losing users who want to use the advantages of rooting or jailbreaking.
5. SECURE APP LOGIC
An app can be "reverse engineered". Reverse engineering means analyzing and reproducing an application. You could also call it piracy. This process can be prevented by obfuscating it - the code and its logs become unreadable, making reconstructing the app difficult or even impossible.
6. AND THEN THERE ARE…
The Switcher
Switcher – this is the name of the task manager that is used when switching between active apps. The app window must be protected in the switcher if confidential data can be read from it.
USER PERMISSIONS
It goes without saying that an app should not have more permissions than absolutely necessary.
UPDATES
The app itself and the app's environment (operating system and other applications) should be continuously updated. Outdated systems, apps or plugins quickly offer security gaps.
WE MAKE YOUR APP SECURE
As an app development agency in Augsburg, we offer different security levels for our apps depending on customer requirements.
Even if you have doubts about your own app development, we are available to help and advise you. We will be happy to check your app for any security gaps and offer you a security update at a fair price. Just talk to us - we look forward to hearing from you.
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Contact
You have questions? Let's talk about your project.
Would you like to have an app developed? Your app is not working optimally? Would you like information about the costs of app development? Please feel free to contact us - we look forward to hearing from you!
Tel. +49 (0) 821 8998 4810
