Security tips for mobile applications

In this post we focus on the importance of adopting robust security measures in mobile applications and what are the challenges for enterprise cybersecurity departments to ensure the security of mobile devices.

Learn how to strengthen the security of your mobile applications to protect vital business information.

Mobile application security is one of the most important elements in the security strategy of any type of enterprise. If we ask any CISO or cybersecurity director of a company what is the main difference in the current cybersecurity strategy compared to that of a few years ago, they will probably answer that the perimeter has disappeared. And he will not be wrong.

In the past, organizations only had to protect the technological fabric within the organization. Today, however, connections to an organization’s applications and data are established from different points and through different devices.

The increase in hybrid work, as well as the access of suppliers and customers to company data or applications, means that the attack fronts have multiplied. The vast majority of these accesses are carried out through different terminals, mainly smartphones, so that the mobile data protectionthe access control in applications and the management of different types of digital identities are essential to improve the protection of the company’s data and infrastructure.

Some relevant actions

Smartphones can be the gateway for cybercriminals to access a company’s systems, whether they are on-premise or hosted in cloud environments. Mobile vulnerability management therefore becomes a fundamental action both to ensure security and to prevent possible attacks that could compromise the security of the company.

Next to the cyber security awareness, establish security policies on mobile devices, implement the multifactor authentication in apps, performing security audits for mobile applications or incorporating a security framework for applications, as well as protection technologies for mobile apps such as Cloud & Cybersecurity by aggity, are just some of the actions that should be incorporated into the cybersecurity strategy. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones:

Use data encryption

Smartphones store a significant amount of data relevant to any organization. Using data encryption in data encryption in applications will reduce security risks in mobile apps by protecting sensitive information such as passwords, financial data or customer data.

By using apps that have data encryption you are adding an additional layer of security that makes unauthorized access to data more difficult, even in the event that the phone is lost. If, in addition, this encryption is accompanied by multi-factor authentication, the risk of unauthorized access is further reduced.

Perform safety tests

When it comes to mobile application security, regular security testing is an important aspect that is not always taken into account. These tests will enable threat mitigation in mobile applications and uncover potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited by cybercriminals.

Among the most common techniques are ethical hacking and mobile penetration and mobile penetration tests that simulate attacks against the mobile infrastructure to uncover weaknesses.

Develop with a focus on safety

Security in app development is another important element when implementing a cybersecurity strategy for mobile environments. Also called “Security by Design”, it implies having security in place at all times: from the time the app starts to be developed to the implementation of the app. This is a concept in which security is a priority instead of waiting until the app is developed and having to discover and patch vulnerabilities when it is already operational.

In short, it is becoming increasingly important to implement a mobile application security policy because it exponentially reduces the possibility of a successful attack. This strategy will help companies to be more protected, align their cybersecurity strategy with regulatory compliance in mobile apps and improve the company’s image in the eyes of users, customers and partners.