The ever-increasing popularity of smart phones makes the app market a fast-growing industry. Modern technology is making it much easier to develop apps and bring them to market faster than ever before. Security, however, remains one of the most important considerations of mobile users. Developers have to ensure that the products they create meet or exceed industry standards and expectations in order to avoid catastrophic security breaches. Here are six ways that mobile app developers can keep their products secure and their customers protected.
1. Get educated.
Knowing the security parameters and potential weaknesses of each mobile platform is the first step in creating a secure app. Each operating system has different APIs (application programming interfaces) that handle security in a variety of ways. Mobile app developers must understand each platform’s security controls and permissions. It is also important to research and understand the app markets. High-exposure apps that have millions of users will most certainly need additional layers of security, but even apps with lower risk profiles are still required to maintain high security standards.
2. Issue security responsibility.
An app development team must have a person who is responsibility for security. Codes integrated in the app, whether they are developed in-house or by third parties, should be thoroughly tested. The app should also be independently secure of controls and services developed and offered by the operating system provider or manufacturer. It is the responsibility of the app developers to make sure that their users know the protection capabilities of the app and the parameters of permissions.
3. Don’t use it? Lose it.
Do not store or ask for any information from users if your app does not require it to run. Evaluate the different stages and functions of the app, and determine what information is needed when. Being economical about information gathering will help cut down on security issues, since uncollected data does not require safeguarding.
4. Encrypt important information.
Important information, like usernames, passwords, credentials and keys, must be encrypted for safeguarding during transmission. HTTPS is an excellent SSL technology that helps keep data secure, especially when it is sent over public Wi-Fi hot spots. Digital certificates are also handy tools for increasing security confidence.
5. Secure the servers.
Make sure all servers associated with the app are protected. Keep software up-to-date, and make sure servers are equipped with all available security updates. Ensuring that data storage units are secure will help stop insidious stacks. Also use hash values to encrypt sensitive data that is stored on app servers. This will help protect critical information in case of unauthorized storage access.
6. Stay on the ball.
Once the app is delivered to the market, don’t leave users in the dust. Technology is always evolving, and hackers will attempt to use this to their advantage. Stay up to date with potential security threats and make all necessary updates. Implement a system to stay in touch with customers. Always take concerns and feedback seriously.
