This is the age when mobile device especially smartphone is much in use. There is hardly anyone who does not use a smartphone now. It is a useful device for people in all age group. One can have better communication and ease of shopping as well as banking with the help of this smart device. However, everything has pros and cons. The same applies to a mobile device also and therefore one has to be more careful while using the same on the internet. People download numerous apps and games from different sources. Mobile applications face many risks these days due to various factors. The Open Web Application Security Project also known as OWASP community has identified top OWASP mobile top 10 major risks that need to be addressed with regards to mobile applications. This works like a guide for application developers and consumers about different risks associated with using such applications. Let us take a detailed look into each of them.
M1: Improper platform usage
This includes android intents that are messaging objects in the OS used for communication between different activities. This can be compromised and used for data leaks by attackers. Along with that, android intent sniffing poses a threat with stealing information from intents. Not using keychain provided by iOS can lead to passwords not being encrypted by applications. This can lead to several vulnerabilities in the long run. In many cases this platform is used to spread virus so that the data of the device can be transferred to unknown sources without any use of any app. Hence the most important step here is not go for any app that is from unknown source or platform. One must not permit the device to open and operate such apps and set the app not to permit it to use.
M2: Insecure data storage
When proper data storage security practices are not employed, it can lead to critical information leakage. We have seen this happen with several dating websites that were hacked to gain personal information about customers. In order to avoid such problems in the long run, it is essential to store customer data in a safe manner as prescribed by OWASP guidelines. One must not override the security features offered by the guidelines under any circumstances if he wants to keep the device safe and free from any spyware.
M3: Insecure communication
When you use a mobile phone to communicate with other people, you will either be using the phone network or the Internet to transmit data. If the communication network is not secure, attackers can hack into this channel and decode the data you send through such networks. For this reason, you should never use public networks for accessing bank related information or other sensitive apps. If you do not take good care in this regard, your personal information can get leaked in some cases.
M4: Insecure Authentication
When users have to login to any apps, they have to use the registered login credentials. However, this will not be enough as developers need to provide multiple authentication factors to verify the user. When this is not done, the login credentials become very weak technically and they can be easily compromised.
M5: Insufficient Cryptography
It is essential to encrypt every data that goes into apps so that only the authorized sources can decode them at the end of the channel. When this process is not strong, attackers can get access to critical data by spying on mobile phones through various means. In some cases, the original data can be modified before it reaches the end user and it may be rendered useless in some cases. As this is a crucial risk in the OWASP mobile top 10 risks, developers need to be careful about such aspects while evaluating apps.
M6: Insecure Authorization
When the authorization process is not secured, attackers can gain entry as a legitimate user and try to exploit admin commands in an easy manner. Attackers who hack car alarm systems use such methods to take control of the vehicle. For this reason, it is essential to check user privileges regularly in both online and offline modes.
M7: Poor Code Quality
While developing any app, it is essential to maintain proper coding rules throughout the project. When different developers use different coding practices, the end result can be a cumbersome project that is prone to attacks in future. For this reason, a final analysis has to be done manually with regards to code quality and any problems should be fixed at this stage to avoid further hazards.
M8 Code Tampering
This is the most preferred method of hacking as this gives complete control over the app to the attackers. When users download such tampered apps, everything is under risk as the entire app runs as per the instructions of the attackers. In this way, the users will never suspect anything as everything seems legitimate.
M9: Reverse Engineering
This is also a popular method of hacking mobile apps. Attackers prefer to reverse engineer the code so that they can understand the complete working of the app. This will help them to explore the vulnerabilities in an easy way. The most common risks come with dynamic inspection at runtime that is used by Java, Objective C and other languages. This can also lead to code stealing in many cases. They are smart to decode the framework and enter into the system.
M10: Extraneous Functionality
It is essential to delete all unwanted code from the app as suggested by OWASP mobile top 10 risk guidelines. In this way, attackers will not be able to get access to complete code easily when they manage to sneak into some functions of the app.
These are the top risks associated with mobile applications that are mentioned by the OWASP community. As a developer, you need to follow these guidelines strictly as most of the apps that were compromised in recent years had missed one or the other points mentioned in OWASP guidelines.