Threats to mobile devices and mobile security are real and omnipresent. Don’t take my word for it, but listen to these industry experts:
Gartner
In its Predicts 2017: Endpoint and Mobile Security research document, Gartner listed 5 key findings with regards to Mobile Security:
- Mobile malware has not been an issue in the eyes of enterprises so far; however, mobile attacks are increasing in both number and pragmatism.
- Non-signature-based anti-malware solutions are increasingly effective and will soon displace local endpoint signature database maintenance.
- Microsoft’s built-in tools provide comprehensive security policies for Office 365, yet provide limited integration with other common SaaS applications.
- Many organizations continue to use portable flash media to carry and share data physically between work systems, business contacts and so on, without benefit of rigorous oversight.
- Users readily share or copy business information into their mobile and cloud storage systems, and pass even more through personal email accounts, without considering the consequences.
NowSecure
Also in 2016, mobile application security company, NowSecure, published an interesting mobile security report and found 10 surprising stats exposing mobile data security dangers. Here are some of their findings:
- 50% of Android devices run a version of Android that is more than 2 years old.
- 82% of Android devices tested by the Vulnerability Test Suite for Android had at least one of 25 vulnerabilities.
- 35% of all mobile device communications are sent unencrypted
- 43% of mobile users do not use a passcode, PIN, or pattern lock on their device
- 33% of apps in the Games category leak sensitive data, which is three times as much as the average mobile app
Zimperium
According to Zimperium, a leader in mobile threat defense, there are 5 facts every executive should know about mobile security. Zimperium believes that the threat posed to mobile devices is real and that it poses the single greatest cyber security vulnerability for any corporate network. One of its customers under attack by an economic spy recorded vulnerabilities on 60% of devices and critical threats on 6.2% of its devices.
So why is that?
Why is it that Mobile apps are being developed with security as an afterthought?
- Is it because Mobile App developers are under constant pressure to build and release apps faster?
- Is it because Mobile App developers are too focused on feature functionality and not on data or mobile security?
- Is it because end-users are not aware of the dangers and therefore are not demanding better mobile security?
Regardless of the reasons, not building apps with a security-first mindset could potentially lead to costly and disastrous consequences.
And it doesn’t have to be this way.
There are several ways to take a security-first approach when designing and building Apps. Appdome is one of the easiest ways for app developers to make sure that the Apps they build are secure and won’t expose the users to any embarrassing and costly data leaks.
Every app should be built with a security-first approach
Everybody in the world deserves to have access to secure apps that don’t compromise end user information. Not all app developers have the time or the knowledge to always take a security-first approach to app development. Solutions like Appdome make the world a safer place for us all, one app at a time.
To learn more about Appdome’s mobile security download a free copy of The Ultimate Developer’s Guide to Mobile Application Security.
