How secure are the apps on your device?

Arxan Technologies is  company that specializes in software security and mobile application protection. They provide developers and software engineers with aplication protection to make it difficult for hackers and fraudsters to tamper with mobile applications.

They just completed and shared their 5th annual State of Application Security report with us, which takes an in-depth look into the security of some of the most popular mobile health and mobile finance applications available.

A huge discrepancy was found between consumers’ beliefs regarding the level of security built into apps, and the degree to which developers of those apps actually address known application vulnerabilities.

For example, 83% of the app users  surveyed felt their applications were adequately secure. Yet, 90% of the applications tested were vulnerable to at least 2 of the OWASP Mobile Top 10 Risks.

This study covered the US, UK, Germany and Japan but bringing it home, how many Zambians actually think their device is vulnerable to attack or do they trust that whatever they download is safe?

From the findings of Arxan’s research, it can be agreed that not everyone gets their apps from trusted sources, and even if they do they don’t check the authorizations that the application demands of the device it’s being installed on. Always read the description on an app to avoid giving away too much personal information which can easily fall into the wrong hands.

It’s also been advised not to jailbreak or root your devices as they can become more exposed to hacks through applications installed that the device could have given a warning about before rooting/jailbreaking.