Imagine trusting an app with your personal information, only to find out it’s been exposed to hackers. Let’s explore the shocking breaches that have left millions vulnerable.
- X (formerly Twitter): Email addresses associated with over 200 million Twitter profiles were exposed on hacker forums (CNN)
- WazirX: Users’ funds worth $230 million were stolen (WazirX)
- Twilio’s Authy App: Millions of users’ phone numbers were exposed (TheHackerNews)
And the list goes on…
In a survey conducted by Contrast Security, more than two-thirds of organizations admitted to suffering an attack that resulted in the loss of critical data or operational disruption.
Millions of users on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store rely on mobile app providers to secure their data. However, many apps still contain security vulnerabilities that users may not even be aware of.
- 79% of respondents in Contrast Security’s survey admitted that their average application in development has 20 or more vulnerabilities.
- Over 99% of respondents reported that applications in production typically contain at least four vulnerabilities.
These vulnerabilities can include unencrypted location data, unsecured credentials, unprotected device information, and more. Such loopholes make mobile apps prone to breaches.
Apart from data breaches and financial losses, cyberattacks can severely damage a company’s reputation and erode user trust in the mobile app. The result? Long-term consequences that go beyond immediate losses.
Now that we know the consequences of security breaches, let’s understand the risks associated with unsecured mobile apps. These risks provide compelling reasons why any company providing mobile app development services or business developing mobile apps should prioritize security in their development projects.
What Are the Risks of an Unsecured Mobile App?
In a world where mobile apps handle everything from personal data to financial transactions, an unsecured app can expose both users and businesses to significant risks, ranging from data theft to irreversible damage to brand reputation.
Here are the potential risks of neglecting mobile app security:
Data Breaches and Leakage Risks
Mobile apps not only gather a large amount of sensitive user information (including email addresses, phone numbers, location data, financial details, and more) but also need to transmit this data across networks.
Failing to secure data storage (both at rest and in transit) is one of the primary reasons behind most data breaches. Even major apps, like Starbucks, have been guilty of neglecting to encrypt customer data and GPS locations, storing it in plain text format. Fortunately, this vulnerability was discovered before hackers could exploit it.
Vulnerabilities from Code Injection
When input fields are unvalidated or improperly sanitized, and even worse, when SQL commands are directly embedded into the app code, hackers can insert malicious code into an application, altering the app’s behavior to access sensitive data or take control of app functions.
For example, if a cyber attacker manages to inject code that intercepts payment information during checkout, this malicious code can capture credit card numbers or redirect payments to unauthorized accounts. This can lead to financial losses for both users and the business.
The Threat of Code Tampering
Not just the data, your app code needs encryption too. If there is a lack of code obfuscation, encryption, checksum verification, or if the app is distributed through unofficial platforms, attackers can easily read, modify, and repackage the code with malicious changes. This can lead to the app executing harmful functions or stealing personal data.
The attackers can even create a counterfeit app and re-release it on third-party app stores, now filled with adware or spyware. When users mistakenly download this app, the hackers gain access to their information and even to their mobile devices.
Weak Authorization and Authentication Mechanisms
Having a mobile app with a password-only system and no multi-factor authentication (MFA), and storing passwords in plain text or unprotected formats, is like locking your home’s door with an ancient lock that can be broken with a single blow. Similarly, in the case of mobile apps, a hacker only needs one piece of information: the password. If you’ve stored app passwords in the database in plain text, it becomes easier for hackers to access and use them to impersonate users and access private messages and data, leading to severe privacy violations.
Additionally, if the third-party APIs you’re using in your app are insecure, they may expose sensitive user data or allow unauthorized access.
Inadequate Transport Layer Security
When data is transmitted between the mobile app and the server, it needs to be encrypted to ensure the security of sensitive information during transit. However, mobile apps may fail to properly implement Transport Layer Security (TLS) or may not use it at all, leaving data exposed to the possibility of interception or tampering.
This issue often arises when SSL/TLS certificates are outdated, improperly configured, or missing. Additionally, if the development team fails to implement certificate pinning, attackers could use fraudulent certificates to compromise the app’s communication.
Flaws in Data Encryption Protocols
Many mobile apps fall victim to outdated or weak encryption of sensitive data at rest on devices or servers and fail to use industry-standard encryption algorithms like AES or RSA due to poor knowledge of encryption standards or time constraints during development. When encryption is not properly applied, attackers can easily access and read sensitive data.
For example, if your team encrypts user passwords with a weak algorithm, hackers can reverse-engineer the encryption to obtain the actual password, gaining access to the user’s account and other personal information.
Poor Server-Side Controls
To ensure that resources and data are accessed only by authorized users, there must be server-side controls in place. These mechanisms include authentication, authorization, session management, and access controls.
When your app is not secure—meaning it lacks strong authentication, uses improper session management practices, neglects input validation, or even uses insecure APIs—attackers can easily bypass authentication processes, hijack sessions, or manipulate server responses.
Conclusion
Simply put, unsecured mobile apps are bad for business. They are like an open invitation to cybercriminals to exploit sensitive user data and enable widespread security breaches. The risks listed above are some of the ways vulnerabilities are created in your app, which could become a target for attackers.
By understanding these risks, developers and business owners can take proactive steps, such as using mobile app security best practices, to secure their apps and protect their users. Not only that, but organizations and developers also need to prioritize security from the outset, adopting a proactive, security-first mindset to ensure their apps remain safe from potential threats.
