In the current digital world, the security of mobile applications is one of the major concerns. With the increase in the use of mobile phones, the threat of stealing data has also increased. Many important financial tasks, investments, fund transfers, net banking, etc. are done through mobile phones only. Therefore, android app development companies need to focus on developing strong security features for mobile phones.
According to research, around 40% of communications done through mobile phones were unencrypted. This means 1/3rd of the data transmitted through mobile is exposed to the threat.
The malware attacks are going to continue in the upcoming years. They are not going to slow down by any means. Thus, now the security of the mobile and mobile applications must be strengthened to curb these types of attacks.
In this post, we will share with you some of the prominent security features that can safeguard your mobile and apps.
Security features for Android app development
1. Data Encryption
The data stored in mobile phones and apps should be protected at all costs. Also, it includes both the data and the source code that is passed between the back-end server and the application.
Encrypting the data is one of the most crucial security practices for the security of mobile apps. Thus, data encryption is one of the important security features for Android app development.
2. Securing the Server
The server is often under threat. The hackers try to attack the API of the server. Therefore, you need to keep your server and API secure. For this, one can use a firewall for web applications or conduct code reviews. These things will help you protect yourself from the attack of hackers.
3. Testing & Updating
You need to update your Android phone timely whenever an update is available. According to a study, only a few people update their phones and most of the people use the older version of the android. Now, this is not the right thing, it can invite a lot of risk to your phone. Hackers are always behind devices that have weaknesses and risks.
When the developer plugs the hole in the security, the hackers notice other flaws. The Android keeps updating from time to time to overcome these threats. So, device updating is a strong security feature for Android phones. You should hire an Android app developer to build an app with strong security features.
4. Minimum application permissions
Whenever you install an app, then that app demands many permissions. These permissions help the app perform better. But, these permissions make the apps and devices vulnerable to threats. The permissions of the app should not be beyond the functionalities of the application.
5. Certificate Pinning
Certificate pinning is a security feature that protects apps from man-in-the-middle attacks when they’re linked to an unsecured network. However, this has certain limitations. Sometimes, it may not detect the network, and also there are some compatibility issues as well. Apart from this, certain browsers do not support certificate pinning. So, this feature should be used carefully.
6. Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication enables adding an extra layer of security while logging into an app. It also covers up for weak passwords that hackers can easily guess and compromise an app’s security.
The multi-factor authentication enables sending a security code whenever you log in to the app, so you have to enter the password as well as the secret code. The code is sent through SMS or email.
7. Enforcing session logout
Often people forget to log out from the apps. This is a risky thing, especially when the app is a banking app or any other financial app, as well as a social media app. Thus, the apps need to enforce the session log out after a specific period of inactivity. This will add safety for the users.
8. Restrict user privileges
If more privileges are given to the users, then the security of the app can be compromised. Hackers can cause unthinkable damage to an app if a user with a large number of rights is compromised. An application should also not ask for privileges that are out of its functionality.
9. Testing Apps regularly
The procedure of securing a mobile app is not one-time. You need to constantly pay attention and secure mobile apps. There are new threats that emerge every day and cause damage to the users’ data. Also, the cases of ransom wares have increased. To curb all these threats, the app should be tested regularly and if any problem is faced, then it should be solved.
10. Encrypt Cache
The cache is a type of component that saves the data on the device of the user temporarily. It helps to avoid the delay in data retrieval. But, if the data in the cache is not encrypted, hackers can readily access it. When a session ends, the app’s data isn’t always removed, and the cache isn’t always cleared. So, the cache should be encrypted for security purposes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we would like to say that in current times, the number of cyber-attacks, ransomware, etc. has increased a lot. Therefore, android app development companies have to ensure proper security of mobile applications to safeguard the interest of the users. The companies should use the above-mentioned features for the safety & security of the mobile applications.
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