Today, majority of the companies are living with this false perception that security measures can be taken once the app is ready to hit the market, i.e. in the last stage of mobile app development.
Instead, mobile app security needs to be a part of the process right from the beginning. Security isn’t an afterthought, and developers need to consider it upfront.
Technology has always been a vulnerable market in terms of online threats, cybercrimes and hacking. With hackers looking to catch their prey and steal sensitive information, it becomes essential to focus on security aspect right from the start. Therefore, a lot of money has been put in by the prudent organizations to counter its fatal impact. However, there’s not much companies have managed to achieve in this regard as attackers come up with new ways to trouble the society.
The problem lies in the application layer. It has been observed in the past that it is the most vulnerable area of letting the hackers inside the system. This breach can not only create a leak of sensitive information but can also harm the reputation of the company. However, these vulnerabilities can be avoided by reinforcing the security features when the idea is conceptualized. It will certainly be beneficial in guarding the company’s confidential as well as end users’ personal information.
With security on everyone’s mind, some companies have already started to implement methods that can shield their apps. To make it clear on how it’s done, we have several ways of integrating security blocks to your app development process at an early stage ensuring that hackers are kept at a distance.
While conceptualizing the app idea, it’s important to have a thoughtful discussion about the risks and threats that can haunt you in the near future. Being aware of the shortcomings at an initial stage can help you devise effective security blocks eradicating the possibility of having a leak when the app is ready for launch.
In order to secure the app, it’s important to discover critical areas within the app that can be targeted by attackers once the app goes live. These areas can be identified by threat modelling, which not only helps mobile app development companies to spot the sensitive areas but also helps in determining the flow of information.
Once the weak links are identified, it becomes easy for app developers to work in the direction of fixing them by establishing a solid and a secure foundation for rest of the phases of app development.
Design is the phase where all the creativity flows in. With designers looking to embrace the app with something different and developers helping them at every stage to achieve the unimaginable, security aspect gets overshadowed. However, the review of the design is very crucial in identifying the loopholes and fixing them for no future fuss.
It is recommended to get your app’s design reviewed by a third person who isn’t a part of the development team. The reviewer like this can help you identify trivial and unseen errors that could have been easily skipped by the developers at work.
The app code is divided into different modules, which are put together for a magical experience. These set of codes are required to test for errors and security flaws. Developers need to closely check each module for any discrepancies that make the app vulnerable to threats and attacks.
A refinement code process needs to be run at the development stage ensuring there isn’t any scope for hackers to get in.
When it all comes down to the launch and you are ready with your app, it’s time to perform a risk analysis. It is more of a quality check before the end users try their hands on the new creation. The developed app should be tested thoroughly ensuring all the needs are fulfilled, standards are met and last but not the least, there isn’t any room for security leaks.
Testing security flaws don’t really end. It starts at the time when you ideate a mobile app and continue to exist till the time you go live. It goes on and on- for the entire app’s life.
It is advisable to use automated scripts and regression testing for common vulnerabilities like SQL injections. The level of testing can be further improved by the involvement of threat modelling and risk analysis.
Following the agile approach to app development can not only help in producing a refined app but also in ensuring that security of the app remains on developer’s mind throughout the process. With every phase, you got to include additional security checks as nonfunctional requirements. And you’d be surprised to see the results as the development process approaches to completion.
Building an app is easy, but to make it successful is difficult. A lot depends on how well you have combat the security hacks and included the measures to avert the unwanted cyberattacks. Hence, it’s important to perform security audits from the very start that experienced mobile app development companies do it brilliantly.
An IT Engineer, a Digital Marketer and a Content Marketing Specialist, Sahil Miglani enjoys technical as well as non-technical writing. His passion and urge for gaining new insights on gadgets, smartphones and technology has led him to Konstant Infosolutions. He quenches his thirst for technology through his action oriented writing skills and a profound ability to stay up to date with latest industry trends. Besides this, Sahil is a sports appreciator, a Sachin Tendulkar fan and a keen follower of cricket. He also has a flair for writing sports content. He lives with the belief that his hobbies have turned into his profession, no wonder he is writing wonders.
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