Mobile apps are incomplete without security. If you focus on high-end security practice then, there are certain chances that intruders can not get into your databases.
The database possesses both sensitive and personal data that comprises details like, user address, card information, payment information and other sensitive data.
Hackers and intruders both target such databases that have weak backend, and unprotected APIs for insecure storage and misconfigured servers. A Houston mobile app development company has worked on the design and development of mobile apps with high-end security practices that keeps the data of the clients safe and secured.
According to an analysis, thousand of mobile apps, 60% of the businesses are suffering from serious security flaws : improper encryption, insecure API calls.
Based on Statista’s research and industry best practices, mobile app security requires a multi-layered approach to prevent data breaches and unauthorized access, which increased by 147% year-over-year in late 2023. Core practices include implementing robust encryption, managing data collection, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), and using Google Play Protect for Android devices.
Businesses are now focusing on maintaining the security practices and the breach damages the trust of the clients to the service provider.
Companies that offer highly regulated industries like healthcare, and the ecommerce domain align well with the strict regulation of the data because users enter their personal data which is quite sensitive. Strong mobile app security management protects user confidence and lowers long-term since it controls data exposure and secures communication
In this blog, we are going to discuss the practices that will help in strengthening the security concerns for the mobile apps.
App tracking and mobile privacy – statistics & facts
With the high usage of mobile devices and the considerable role apps have been taking as part of users’ experiences, recent years have seen the appearance of specific mobile-first security threats. In 2022, there were over five billion smartphone users worldwide, and mobile internet traffic accounted for approximately 60 percent of all web traffic worldwide as of the end of 2022.
Best Practices to Strengthen the Security of the Mobile Apps –
A simple mistake will make you lose a lot of important data that comprises both sensitive and private data. Due to weak APIs, or unprotected sessions attackers get the chance to attack and take access to all the data.
If you wish to learn more about the best practices followed to strengthen the security of mobile apps then, here is a complete overview of it:
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Secure Source Code
The security for the mobile app starts with the code because attackers target the app’s logic before anything else. Moreover, they download the APK and IPA, crack it open, and scan for the hardcoded secrets, exposed logic and functions that can be rewrite for fraud or data theft.
If the code is unprotected then someone “the intruder” can clone the app and create a fake version and slip away the malware inside it. It bypassed checks the team thought were safe enough.
- Obfuscation tools help in hiding function names and reorder the instruction that makes the code harder to read after decompiling.
- Code signing verifies that the app hasn’t been tempered with and integrity checks run at startup to flag the debugging.
- Some teams add white-box cryptography when they must keep secrets on the client side, even though we think secrets on a device always introduce risk.
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Strengthen Authentication and Authorization
The mobile app should come with role-based access and authentication so that only authorized users can get into the database and access the dashboard and data. Hackers target the layer before anything because weak login flows open the door for them to take over and get access to all the sensitive data. There should be strong authentication that gives the app a real backbone and fighting capability from the hackers.
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Protect Sensitive Data with Strong Encryption
Another important area that demands utmost attention of the app developer is data protection with strong encryption practices.
The mobile app for fintech handles sensitive data like payment details, health information, private messages and session secrets that go encrypted and fragment turns it into an open ground for attackers to come and hack.
Developers rely on several methods and tools to keep this material locked down. Here are the essentials:
- AES-256 for data at rest.
- TLS 1.3 for data in transit.
- Android Keystore and iOS Secure Enclave to store encryption keys.
- SQLCipher to protect local databases.
- Key rotation to limit long-term exposure.
- No plaintext secrets inside the code. Ever.
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Implement Secure Communication Channels
If we move to another layer then, data often leaks while it travels rather than when it sits in one place, the database. Mobile apps communicate with the servers and attacks love to get in between of these conversations and hack the details. They can intercept the traffic on public WiFi, infected routers and compromised networks.
Teams stick to a small set of strict rules to keep communication secure and controlled:
- Require TLS 1.3 for every request, including internal microservice traffic.
- Block outdated protocols and weak ciphers.
- Turn on full certificate validation so the app rejects untrusted endpoints.
- Use certificate pinning to prevent spoofed or tampered certificates.
- Remove sensitive information from URLs and query parameters.
Protect APIs and Backend Systems
It’s hard to say that any mobile app is complete without the integration of APIs for advanced features.
APIs carry the real weight of the mobile app, so anyone who wishes to get into the database can start the activity from here. A mobile user exposes the predictable endpoints and the patterns along with mistakes. If you don’t pay attention to the details then, you might compromise on the important data.
One weak route can leak the user data, expose the business logic in front of the intruders to attack and take action against it. App developers can guard the backend of the mobile apps by implementing a mix of security practices and checking if the attacks from the abusing domain still have the capabilities to predict the APIs patterns or not.
Secure Local Data Storage
Another most important checkpoint to be kept in knowledge is how the app is interacting with the data (newly rendered). A rooted mobile phone or a cheap forensic tool pulls the files apart and exposes the tokens, chats and other financial sensitive data if the storage is unprotected.
Hiring a professional app developer might cost a bit higher than a freelancer but the end results would be amazing. You will not have to worry about the secured local data storage as they will practice all the methods to keep the cloud-based servers secured from unauthorized access.
App developers can prevent that chaos by encrypting local data with tools like SQLCipher, storing keys securely in the Android Keystore or iOS Keychain, and enforcing strict cleanup policies that wipe sensitive traces as soon as a session ends. Plain storage options such as SharedPreferences and UserDefaults should never hold private data—they can expose information under minimal pressure. Strong local storage practices eliminate an easy attack vector and keep mobile app security from failing at its weakest point.
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Control Third-Party Libraries and Dependencies
Lastly, we have the third party libraries and dependencies security practices that should be kept in mind for reducing the risk and boosting their overall performance.
Every module adds potential vulnerabilities and the team treats dependency control as the core part for the security of the mobile apps. It helps in tracking the packages through SBOM, update the high-risk components first and remove the abandoned or unmainted libraries before they expose the data to the intruders. A smaller, well-managed dependency set strengthens stability and reduces long-term security costs.
Hire TekInvent’s Team Of Professional For A Secured Digital Experience
TekInvent has trained its team of professionals to implement strong security practices for mobile apps that help in shaping the digital experience. Whenever the team plans on adopting the culture that looks ahead and corrects the issues before the attacks find them. The app remains stable and well prepared for whatever the next threat could be.
Test the detailed state of the system. Validate every action, and encrypt sensitive data because it’s your responsibility to keep it sacred from unauthorized access.
Clear ownership inside the engineering team helps as well, since security improves the moment someone feels accountable for each decision that touches user data.Clear ownership within the engineering team also makes a difference—security gets stronger the moment someone is directly accountable for every decision that affects user data.
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