Understanding mobile security risks with OWASP

There are several security risks associated with using mobile apps. In this regard, it makes sense to be aware of the common threats so that you can safeguard your personal data from external attacks. This is also a matter of concern for developers as they have to take care of the latest threats to safeguard the source code and protect the app from being hacked in future.

The Open Web Application Security Project also known as OWASP is the online community of security experts who have documented various materials to analyze the common threats to mobile apps.  A web developer in Atlanta, understanding about all these threats and ensure that your apps are not vulnerable to the common pitfalls.

OWASP documentation

It is essential to understand the threats mentioned by OWASP with real world examples as this can give the best idea about how common mistakes can lead to huge damage in the long run. The resources are available for free and developers can take advantage of this documentation and use the recommended tools to build secure mobile applications. The same threats apply for several web applications also and you can follow similar guidelines while developing web applications. In this way, you will be able to secure your users and protect your brand identity from external threats.

How safe are apps available in the market?

You will be surprised to know that many popular apps also have vulnerabilities. In this situation, you need to be extra cautious if you are using apps developed by small companies as they may lack the technical resources to build strong apps. Even the best mobile apps sometimes violate one or the other OWASP mobile top 10 threats. For this reason, you should understand that developing secure apps should be given priority and leaving vulnerabilities can hamper the success of the apps in future.

Common areas of vulnerabilities

The most common area where vulnerability is seen is in the data storage department. Most apps are not able to store user data in a secure place and there are enough vulnerabilities to tackle in this field. As a developer, you should be very careful about storing user data in your servers and always protect them from external threats. Not only that, you need to monitor them regularly so that they can be safe from virus and malware programs. If possible, take a backup of your user data in a safe place. This can help you to restore the data when some problem arises in future.

Yet another common area of concern is with insecure communication platforms used by these apps. Most apps have insecure communication platforms and this vulnerability will lead to leakage of user data in many cases. Many attackers use such loopholes to access the network and make unwanted changes to corrupt the app. You need to be careful about handling automatic requests and always have multiple layers of security to avoid hacking attempts. Internet services available check here Centurylink internet plans .

Top 10 OWASP violations

• The primary violation happens with regards to using improper platforms to develop the apps. When this happens, there is no way you can handle future attacks and this will always create problems for your team in the future.
• The next area that is most vulnerable is the data storage process. You should always store data in a secure way and ensure that it has good backup options. When the data storage process is compromised, it can lead to leakage of private resources to the attackers.
• The insecure communication used by the app developers can lead to various problems. Many developers do not care about SSL versions and using the HTTPS platform for the applications. When there is lack of clarity with regards to communication, it can lead to leakage of sensitive data to the attackers.
• Insecure authentication is yet another big headache for the developer community. When you are not able to identify the user, it can lead to weakness in session management. In this way, unauthorized access becomes easy and your app will lose credibility among the user community.
• If you are using a cryptographic algorithm, make sure that you are using a relevant one and use proper documentation so that things can be fixed later.
• The code level implementation problems should be handled effectively to reduce buffer overflows and string vulnerabilities. You should be able to fix the vulnerabilities quickly to avoid improper functioning of the apps.
• Avoid tampering with the code often as this can leave some vulnerability. Attackers often rely on binary patching and local resource modification methods to access critical data of your apps. When you are not using such methods, it becomes easier to secure your apps.
• Always try to reverse engineer your own apps and find out vulnerability before the attackers are able to use this method on your apps. In this way, you can secure the source code and protect the critical libraries and algorithms of your app.
• If you have left any hidden backdoor access in your app during the production phase, make sure to terminate them before releasing the apps. Having such vulnerabilities can impact the performance of the apps and give opportunities for hackers to gain access to your code.

What developers can do while building apps?

Even though it is not an easy task to test your app for every vulnerability, it makes sense to be aware of these threats so that you can build safe apps. Understanding the guidelines of OWASP should give you a starting point from where you can check vulnerabilities in your code. If you notice any issues, do not hesitate to scrap the code. Even though you may have attractive features in your app, it makes no sense when the code is vulnerable to attacks.

Apart from that, you should also understand that the nature of attacks in recent years is getting very complex. Make sure to study them in a detailed way so that you can safeguard your app from such vulnerabilities. This will also help your apps to run faster and provide the best experience for your user community.