Today, increasing numbers of people worldwide want mobile apps for everything, right from shopping to banking to gaming and so on. However, businesses and organizations are replying by creating a large number of mobile apps to capture those people. But, when it comes to security measures, mobile devices are notoriously flawed and mobile apps are a very easy target for hackers, and putting your private, confidential data and information at a high risk.
Let’s Take a Look at Some Mobile App Hacking Statistics:
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About 80 % of the top 100 IOS or Android apps have been hacked
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About 85% of popular free Android apps and 45% of the same free Apple IOS apps were found to have been hacked.
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About 5-7% of popular apps contain professional-grade protections to prevent against hacking attacks.
Therefore, improving security across all domains of an application is very essential when it comes to mobile applications. Vulnerabilities in any area of a mobile application can open a company, businesses and even individual users up to risk and result in serious consequences, such as data loss, fraud, loss of revenue, etc,.
Here Are Some Key Facts about Mobile App Security:-
#1. Mobile Devices Are Easy Targets For Hackers
Devices like smart phones, tablets and the IPhone are easy targets for Hackers because over 70% of the users today do not use pass-code in their devices. So, use Passwords because such devices transfer data from safe networks to unreliable and untrusted networks seamlessly.
Mobile phones are extremely susceptible to being ill-used by frequently changing wireless networks like WI-Fi, GSM, CDMA and Bluetooth and hackers can hijack sessions also known as cookie through sniffing and tampering. Bear in mind that cyber crooks can hijack sessions sitting in a coffee shop. Hijacking enables unauthorized access to them to stored data, passwords, certificates, VPN credentials and cookies.
#2. Make Mobile Payments Through A Well Encrypted App
Mobiles themselves have all types of additional protective covering mechanisms, and the most secure apps use data encryption techniques. Encryption means transforming the data into a not usable form if you don’t know how to reverse the process. Furthermore, you have to enter a PIN code every time you use an app. Besides, if your mobile device is stolen or missing and you believe that it can be used illegally, back it simply by logging into your digital wallet profile from a laptop or computer.
#3. Avoid Third-Party App Stores
Today, plenty of third party mobile app stores will try to provide you with a free version of apps of which you would have to pay a certain amount. However, you think that you are getting a deal, but actually the app has been ridden with all kinds of malware. A few will take over your device instantly while others will hide and cause mischief that you do not even know about.
Hackers are able to do the same harm on many such devices that they would do on normal laptop or computers. Thus, when it comes to illegal third party app stores, then there are several risks that you can run across. Keep in mind that most of the third party app stores are “0.K”, you just have to worry about the illegal ones only.
#4. Don’t Use Open And Unsecured Wi-Fi Networks
You should avoid it because hackers can do this by tracking the unique MAC (Media Access Control) address, used as a network address for most IEEE 802 network technologies, for example, Wi-Fi. From airports to restaurants, metro stations to railway stations, most public places now offer the Wi-Fi Internet facility for free, and everyone likes the word “FREE”. When this word is attached to the Internet, then people just can’t help going crazy over it, and they unknowingly or knowingly disclose themselves to hackers or cyber crooks in this fury of excitement.
So, when you are on an unsecured and untreated Wi-Fi, a hacker can capture whatever information you are transmitting online, such as your banking details, passwords, etc. And there’s no need to tell you what a hacker can do using this data.
#5. Disable Wi-Fi Or Your Device Location
Always disable Wi-Fi when you are not using as it will keep both your physical and device location a mystery. Enabling or disabling location is very simple. Here is an example:
How to enable or disable location services on Twitter for iOS:
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Go to Mobile’s “Settings App” and select “Privacy.”
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Now, tap “Location Services.”
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And, locate the Twitter App and tap to select Never or While using the app.
#6. Don’t Store Bank Passwords On Your Mobile
Keeping your personal information, passwords and financial information protected from hackers has long been a priority of organizations, but it’s very critical for individuals to heed data protection as well as use safe practices to keep your highly sensitive personal information safe and secured. So, make sure that you’re using your bank’s mobile banking app or on websites suggested by your bank. Use the official bank website to download its mobile banking app.
Some Other Facts:
If you have bought a new phone, then save yourself by setting a pass-code. Also, use at least a 6-character password to protect yourself from the more tech-savvy crooks.
Another fact, Jail breaking iOS plus using Custom ROM’s in Android cuts down security and putting your personal information with critical data at risk. Providing apps access to contacts, photos and calendar means it can access, as well as, copy your information to their servers anytime or as often as the application wants.
You need to know the above six mobile app security facts as attackers or cyber crooks try to attack only those users who are not aware of these above facts.
Images: “Password security for safety from mobile phone/Shutterstock.com“
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