Beyond the Code: Unveiling the Hidden Risks in Mobile App Ecosystems

As more companies create their mobile applications, we're witnessing an increase in the number of mobile app success stories. This is where things may go wrong. Many organizations, blinded by the prospects, enter the world of the mobile application security ecosystem fully unprepared.

They are uninformed about the hazards connected with mobile app development and are in for some nasty shocks. According to research, the number of cyberattacks grew by 125% between 2021 and 2022.

It is now more critical than ever for businesses to secure their applications to safeguard their consumers from mobile app security risks and deliver a consistent user experience. In this article, I’ll uncover the top risks in mobile applications that can lead to sensitive data breaches.

Understanding the Ecosystem of Mobile Application Security

Google Play, an app store for Android smartphones, dominates the market with 3.718 million applications available for download in 2023. In the same year, the Apple App Store had 1.803 million iPhone applications accessible.

Key 2023 Mobile App Security Breach Statistics You Should Know About

• In 2023, mobile applications are estimated to produce more than $935 billion in revenue.
• 68% of the best mobile security app company leaders believe their cybersecurity threats are increasing.
• Globally, 3.8 billion social media users are expected by 2023.
• 41% of organizations have experienced a ransomware assault in the last year.
• Cybercrime is expected to cost $10.5 trillion globally by 2025, with an annual increase of 15%.
• A data breach will occur in 29.6% of firms within the next two years.
• In 2020, the expenditures associated with Deepfake frauds will approach $250 million.

The Significance of Mobile App Security in the Digital Era

As mobile applications become more popular, so do the hazards connected with them. As more people use their mobile devices for everything, it's becoming increasingly necessary to secure these apps against harmful assaults, particularly when it comes to financial or banking apps.

Experts estimate that 77% of financial mobile applications contain at least one severe vulnerability that might result in a data leak. Along with these concerning statistics, here are the top four reasons why you should safeguard your mobile app:

• Data Breaches

Recent research indicates that 90% of all mobile applications are vulnerable to sophisticated security attack vectors. This implies that if you don't take the essential security steps, your software is likely to be open to malicious attacks.

• Inherent Vulnerabilities

To meet the changing expectations of users in terms of functionality and functionalities, mobile applications require continual monitoring of vulnerabilities. Many companies also fail to adopt adequate security controls and best practices while creating and delivering new features, which can lead to attackers exploiting zero-day bugs. 

Read more on why is Mobile App Security important for enterprises

The Major Risks in Mobile App Ecosystem of Security

Mobile applications have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, but with growing use comes the danger of possible security concerns. It is critical to be aware of these risks and take proper precautions to protect your data and identity. Here are the top cyber threats that mobile app security testing uncovers:

1.     Inadequate API Security

Many developers fail to secure their APIs. They believe that terrible actors will not be interested in them, while the contrary is true. APIs enable access to consistent, organized data, which is exactly what unscrupulous actors seek. They will reverse-engineer your program to determine which APIs it utilizes, run it through an emulator, or employ a mobile farm to locate access points.

2.     Inadequate Input Validation

Bad attackers might be able to insert fraudulent data input and obtain access to sensitive data in the app or penetrate backend data repositories. Input validation should occur immediately once data is received from an external system. This includes data from third-party vendors, partners, regulators, or suppliers, any of which might be corrupted to produce erroneous information.

3.     Jailbreaking or Rooting

NB- The method of gaining superuser or root access to a device's operating system, essentially freeing all limits imposed by the device maker, is referred to as rooting or jailbreaking.

When a device gets rooted or jailbroken, its inherent security mechanisms can be bypassed, possibly allowing dangerous software to run on the device. These security safeguards, however, may be circumvented with root access, allowing unapproved and potentially destructive programs to run unchecked on the device.

4.     Incorrect Use of Credentials

After identifying these mobile app security issues, an attacker can utilize hardcoded credentials to obtain unauthorized access to important features. They can abuse credentials by acquiring access via incorrectly authorized or stored credentials, avoiding the requirement for genuine access.

5.     Unpatched Vulnerabilities

Unpatched vulnerabilities are those that have been found but have not yet been addressed or fixed by the developers. Mobile applications, especially those designed with complicated code, are frequently plagued with several such vulnerabilities, making them great targets for fraudsters to attack. If left unchecked, these flaws might lead to more serious dangers including data leaks and malware assaults.

6.     Client-Side Injections

An attacker might try to get into your app by providing it with odd data that allows unauthorized access. SQL injection is just one type of client-side injection. Another kind is Local File Inclusion, in which the attacker uploads an executable file that your app reads and runs, potentially causing your app to crash or exposing sensitive data.

7.     Sensitive Information Breach

Data leaking is the unintentional or intentional publication of sensitive data online. These leaks can occur accidentally. Firebase, for example, is one of the most popular data-storage options for Android apps, but it is frequently misconfigured. Anyone with the correct URL for a Firebase-built app may quickly access the app's databases, revealing critical user data.

The Regulatory Challenges in Mobile Application Security

Traversing the complex realm of mobile application security is akin to traversing a maze. The path is plagued with evolving dangers, diverse user behaviors, and the rapid rate of technological innovation. Here's a rundown of the most pressing issues:

• Keeping up with growing threats: The cyber threat environment is anything from static, necessitating constant monitoring from security experts.
• Diverse device and operating system ecosystem: Achieving consistent security across a wide range of devices and operating systems is no easy task.
• Third-party libraries and components: Using third-party assets is a double-edged sword, providing development agility at the risk of compromising security.
• Resource Constraints: While security demands committed resources, not every firm, particularly smaller ones, can easily devote them.
• Regulatory compliance: The regulatory landscape, with its plethora of data protection obligations, provides a never-ending problem for compliance.
• Monitoring and incident response: Putting in place a watchful monitoring mechanism, backed up by a solid incident response plan, is easier said than done.

Click here to overcome these challenges!

How can QualySec Help in Mobile Application Security?

As part of the mobile application penetration testing process, QualySec employs a specialized team of professionals. We secure an app's security by testing it against a range of situations, tools, and hacking tactics before releasing it.

Through process-based penetration testing, QualySec provides tailored security solutions. A one-of-a-kind process that assures applications adhere to the industry's best standards, using a Hybrid testing strategy and a professional workforce with extensive testing expertise.

With our detailed and developer-friendly pentesting report, we assist developers in resolving vulnerabilities. This report contains all of the insights, beginning with the location of the vulnerabilities discovered and ending with a reference on how to solve them, i.e., you receive a step-by-step detailed report on how to fix a vulnerability.

We've successfully safeguarded 250+ apps and served 20+ countries through a network of 100+ partners, proudly maintaining a zero-data-breach record. Contact QualySec now for unsurpassed digital security for your application and company. Our primary priority is to keep your applications safe. Contact Us Right Now!

Read more about the process of mobile application penetration testing.

Conclusion

Mobile application security is an essential component of the whole development lifecycle. Because of the increasing reliance on mobile applications for a variety of functions, they have become attractive targets for possible cyber-attacks.

As a result, knowing and mitigating the key mobile app security dangers is not just a good practice, but also a need. Being aware of security issues will assist you in quickly identifying and managing serious mobile app threats.

This proactive strategy assures the security of your data and applications, lowering the likelihood of successful intrusions. However, attentiveness alone is insufficient. It is critical to get a thorough grasp of possible hazards, their repercussions, and protective strategies.

QualySec Technologies is a mobile app security testing industry leader known for its unique and hybrid solutions that assist organizations in protecting their applications. QualySec understands the difficulties of mobile app security and provides solutions that are geared to address a wide range of cybersecurity concerns. Contact us today!