Learn About The Best Mobile App Security Practices to Design a Hack-Proof App

by Hemendra Singh CEO & Founder

Technological advancements in information sciences along with the development of Artificial Intelligence have led to many wonders. Among many domains, android app development has received a generous tribute from this progress. From e-commerce, e-banking to Augmented reality integrated apps, the outcomes are simply marvelous. However, like with everything good, comes a little bit of bad. In the case of information science development, the bad happens in the form of cybercrimes. At the foundation of every cybercrime that haunts developers and users alike, is hacking.

When a mobile application is hacked, it leaves both Android and iOS app developers including the users vulnerable. The users suffer as their information shared on the application is exposed to ill-intent possessing hackers. Whereas, the developers suffer as their reputation with the user dwindles and their business falls. In aggregate, hacking is something that every individual need to take precaution against even if you yourself are a hacker!

Sometimes hacking can act as a slow poison. Sudden impact changes are not noticed, but over an extensive period of time, the harm is delivered. Keep a watchful eye for the following aspects, to know if you’re being hacked.

How to know you are being hacked?

• Speed: One of the primary indications that could mean a hack is your processor will fall short on performance. Hacking is often achieved through malware. This malware continues to run in the background without you knowing. Eventually, bringing down the overall performance speed of your mobile.

 

• Suspicious texts: Both incoming and outgoing of suspicious texts can mean a potential breach into your device. Receiving texts from unknown sources, or complain from friends and colleagues of texts you haven't sent, are few instances.

 

• Automated installation of new apps: If you continuously find new applications being installed on your mobile without your authorization -you have a reason to doubt. However, any genuine applications provide automatic upgrades and app installation. Hence, you need to differentiate between the two. One of the easiest ways of doing so -is simply making a quick google search.

 

• Reduced battery performance: When a malware runs in the background to record your activities, extra codes are being run in the background. This process drains your battery significantly, and you run out of juice well before you expect.

 

• Overheating: Now overheating is like fever to human anatomy. It can occur due to many reasons. You cannot suspect a hack every time you face overheating. However, you need to take into consideration a few other factors to pinpoint on the cause. Consider the age of your device, possible overheating issues with the make model and existence of other hack symptoms.

 

• Billing abnormalities: Cybercriminals hack your device to use your IP. This helps them to cover their tracks. As a nefarious party continues to use your data, it should show up on your bill.

 

• Your outbound e-mails get blocked:  A hacker can change your e-mail configuration be breaching your device and record your activities. In order to do so, they re-route your mail through their own server. Spam-filters often blacklist these servers. Hence once you sent an e-mail, you might experience it getting a block.

 

Apart from the signs as mentioned earlier, one could spot numerous other things that point at a potential hack. Web browsers are acting weird, apps starting to malfunction, suspicious pop-ups, increasing call drops and such are few examples.

Major Instruments of hack

• Malware: Malware is the most prominent instrument of hacking that is in existence. The different types of malware are -Virus, trojans, spyware, and keylogger. A programmed virus infects your existing software or even corrupt the core functionality of your system. Trojans can create a loophole in your system's security to provide a bypass to its maker. Spyware like the name suggests acts as a spy watching over all your online activities. Including your identification details and credentials. Finally, Keylogger is also a variety of spyware that tracks the keys you type and where you type.

 

• Doubtful mobile apps: Not every app you find on the store is a genuine app. There are quite a few surrogate apps programmed by software developer for iOS apps to compromise the security of your device. These apps tend to contain a code snippet that installs malware on your mobile device. Eventually, you end up surrendering many of your private aspects. For instance, accounts permission, SMS control, microphone access, device administration and access to your contacts.

 

• Smishing: A variant of phishing, smishing is a trick phone call and SMS. Through these, the hackers attempt to convince you to disclose your private information. With the emergence of telemarketing and SMS-marketing, Smishing has gained increasing acceptance with hackers.

 

What are the biggest threats of hacking to a user?

• Draw money: Hackers often make wallet transfers to a different number is already a common form of monetary theft. However, the latest trick is a notch higher. Instead of directly transferring from a wallet they re-route it. They purchase services like data recharges. Later they monetize these purchases. And obviously, the recharge dealers are hand-in-hand with the hackers. Siphoning your money in this process provides the hacker with a stronger cover.

 

• Access to banking cards: One doesn't need much explanation on what could happen if hackers gained access to credit and debit cards. Apart from money transfer and service/product purchases, your card details could also go on auction on the dark web.

 

• They are using your account as a medium of routing: With unrestricted access to your account, the hacker could use your account at their leisure. One such leisure is, using your account to route black money. As a result, you take hit for a crime you never committed.

The responsibility of app developers

Mobile Applications are a major implanting instrument to hackers. Hacker instead of building an app from the scratch, simple hack and infect an existing one. Hence, it is the responsibility of android and iPhone app developers, to make the app maximum hack-proof.

Ground up coding security: 

iOS and Android app development firms need to ensure thorough security steps in the entirety of the coding. API Encrypted, secretive and hard to read coding is an effective way to achieve the required security. Finally, obfuscation and minifications are already prominent ways of warding off hackers.

Asecure network: 

An insecure network is a sly backdoor to hackers. Barricade and fortify it. Provide the maximum amount of protection possible to your network connection. Place API encryption and complex algorithm moderated measures to protect your cloud servers and VMs. Finally, remember to hire a specialist to supervise your network protection.

A strong API integration: 

API encryption is at the foundation of modern-day anti-hacking processes. Starting from network security, containerization to the identification, authentication, and authorization, at every step API will prove critical.

A thorough app trial: 

Don't just sit satisfied with a single trial of your application. Keep making tests of your application. Run detailed scans, and be sure of hack resistance before you publish your application.

Be cautious with your employees: 

iOS and Android app development firms need to be more cautious of their employees. If the company allows their employees to use their own devices, then, in particular, this step is mandatory. Invest in Mobile device management products, integrate a VPN, use strong firewalls and block unauthorized devices.

Conclusion:

Thus, this can be assured that as a business owner or app developer, this is your primary duty to provide the highest level of security to its users and clients. This factor impacts the popularity of any app. Thus, this article is what you need for your app success and security.

 

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Created on Feb 26th 2019 04:05. Viewed 717 times.

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