Mobile phones are a necessity today and it is certain that any average person in the world owns a mobile phone. These devices have become immensely popular all around the world. The huge popularity and utility of these devices are the reason why most businesses have their mobile applications. Banks, restaurants, sports clubs, entertainment sites, hospitals, etc. all have their mobile applications to connect to their customers in a better way. Mobile phones present a huge platform for organizations and therefore we have tons of applications on the app store these days.

Security is a very important aspect of every business organization and therefore it is essential for businesses to maintain security for their mobile applications. Mobile phones contain sensitive information about their user. If such information falls into the wrong hands or is used for malpractices, then it can be quite harmful to users and businesses. Thus, it is quintessential to maintain the security of mobile applications. Secure mobile applications will ultimately lead to a secure smartphone.

Businesses must take proper steps to ensure that they make secure mobile applications. Employees are also users of mobile phones and their devices may contain sensitive data regarding the organization. As mobile phones are often targeted by malicious activity, secure mobile apps are a must.

Here are a few ways to ensure the security of your mobile application-

• Multi-Layered & Strong Authentication-

Authenticating the application is a good way to ensure security for mobile apps. But simple authentication is not enough to prevent malicious activity. Applications should have a multi-layered as well as strong authentication. This will not only prevent unauthorized access to the application but also prevent the chances of password guessing as well. Applications can use multiple factors of authentications such as-

1. Password or PIN
2. Fingerprint or Face ID
3. One-time Password
4. Device ID
5. Client Certificate

       Inducing these factors into your application’s authentication process will help to make a great reduction in the risk of unauthorized access. In other words, strong authentication will surely make your application more secure.

The application must get regular updates and patch fixes from its developers. Such updates and patch fixes are very crucial for application security. Applications might be at risk of new viruses or malware. An application that does not get updates will stay outdated in terms of security and adjustment to the new security upgrades of the device itself. Moreover, there might be newer viruses or malware that could beat the old security features of an application. Therefore, an application must get regular updates to tackle these problems. Other than this, hackers can take advantage of bugs in the application and cause harm to the device. Thus, developers should be wary of such bugs and regularly update the app to fix such bug issues.

This is another great way to ensure that you are making a secure mobile app. Users exchange data when they use an application. This exchange process can be risky if there is no sort of data encryption present. Developers need to encrypt every bit of the data that is used in the app and exchanged over by the users. Doing this will make the entire exchange process safe while also making the application significantly safer as well. Encrypting the data using 4096-bit SSL keys and session-based key exchange will keep the data safe from the best of hackers or malware developers. Moreover, the data that is stored on the device itself should also be encrypted to ensure that the mobile device is also secure. This will guarantee a completely secure data environment.

One of the best ways to prevent any sort of malware practices is to test the application before its official launch. Testing here would refer to the complete scan of the application for any malware or viruses. Testing the security features of the application would also prove to be quite beneficial for the security of the application. Moreover, even after the launch, the application should undergo testing to assess its security. This will give developers a clear picture of the application and its security features. The developers can then release updates to fix the issues if any such arise.

Applications are based on their source code. If the source code itself has bugs or is not secure, the application will be open to malware attacks. Therefore, it is crucial that the source code is well encrypted and protected from bugs and malware attacks. Developers should design the source code with great caution to leave no holes for hackers to get into. Moreover, encryption makes the source code unreadable which acts as another barrier for securing your application.

Most applications today have a client-server-based mechanism. Therefore, it is very important to place security concerns at the backend level or at the server level too. All the APIs ( Application Interface) should be well-checked and verified before they are used. This will prevent unauthorized access to the server ultimately protecting the application. The security of the server should be a priority of the developers. A well-protected server will definitely secure your mobile app as well.

The security of mobile applications is an important issue for businesses and the app developers. The above-mentioned ways are optimal to secure mobile applications and are some of the best practices for application security. With digitalization at an all-time high, businesses must look into the field of mobile app security with proper concern. This will surely be beneficial for the organization in the long run and prevent malicious activity.