How do you meet mobile app security standards?

1 Assess the risks

Before you start coding your mobile app, you need to identify and evaluate the potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect it. This includes analyzing the app's features, functions, data flows, storage, communication, and dependencies. You can use tools like OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS) or NIST Mobile App Security Checklist to guide you through this process.

2 Implement secure coding

Secure coding is the practice of writing code that follows security principles and avoids common errors that could lead to vulnerabilities. For example, you should use secure libraries and frameworks, validate inputs and outputs, encrypt sensitive data, handle errors and exceptions properly, and avoid hard-coding secrets or credentials. You should also use code analysis tools and scanners to detect and fix any security issues in your code.

3 Test and review your app

Testing and reviewing your app is essential to verify its functionality and security. You should perform various types of testing, such as unit testing, integration testing, functional testing, usability testing, and performance testing. You should also conduct security testing, such as penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and code review, to identify and resolve any security flaws or weaknesses in your app. You can use tools like OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) or Nmap to help you with security testing.

4 Protect your app's data

Data protection is one of the most important aspects of mobile app security. You need to ensure that your app's data is secure both in transit and at rest. This means that you should use encryption, hashing, and digital signatures to protect the data from unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. You should also use secure protocols, such as HTTPS, SSL, or TLS, to communicate with your app's backend or third-party services. Additionally, you should implement data minimization and retention policies to reduce the amount of data you collect and store.

5 Manage your app's permissions

Permissions are the access rights that your app requests from the users or the device. You need to manage your app's permissions carefully, as they can affect the app's functionality and security. You should follow the principle of least privilege, which means that you should only request the minimum permissions that your app needs to perform its tasks. You should also explain to the users why your app needs those permissions and how they can revoke them if they want to.

6 Update and maintain your app

Mobile app security is not a one-time effort, but an ongoing process. You need to update and maintain your app regularly to keep it secure and functional. You should monitor your app's performance, usage, and feedback, and address any issues or bugs that arise. You should also follow the latest security trends and best practices, and apply patches or fixes as soon as possible. Moreover, you should inform your users about any changes or updates that affect your app's security or privacy.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?