In an era when smartphones have evolved into essential professional tools, mobile app security isn’t just an IT issue, it’s a critical business concern. This is true for law firms, corporations and other organizations of any size. With millions of apps handling everything from personal banking to corporate data access, these digital gateways have become prime targets for cybercriminals.
Despite the ubiquity of mobile devices in all settings and the amount of sensitive data and access they contain, according to an analysis by AIMulitple, “25+ Application Security Statistics & Trends,” more than 75% of all the apps tested contained at least one security or privacy flaw. One compromised app can potentially expose sensitive personal information and corporate data or even provide a gateway to more significant network breaches. Mobile apps are a major attack vector, yet they go largely overlooked—especially as “bring your own device” policies blur the lines between personal and professional devices.
As phones, tablets and mobile data continue to proliferate, the risks they introduce place organizations of all sizes and in all industries in a vulnerable position. Returning to a time before mobile apps became essential business tools is no longer an option. Instead, they must be made a standard part of any broader cybersecurity strategy.
Why Traditional Mobile Security Isn’t Enough
It can be tempting to assume mobile app security is sufficient because basic measures like data encryption and secure authentication are already implemented. But modern mobile attacks are far more sophisticated. Ensuring consistent security across all platforms has become increasingly challenging with multiple operating systems, countless device types and complex app store ecosystems. Making matters worse, the real threats often exploit the complex web of application programming interfaces (APIs) that mobile apps use to communicate with back-end systems.
Consider this: Every time an employee uses a smartphone to access organizational resources—whether through official corporate apps or personal productivity tools—multiple API calls are made to the organization’s servers for accessing databases, processing transactions and handling sensitive data. Each of these interactions is a potential entry point for attackers.
Now consider recent data showing that attackers are shifting to a “mobile-first” strategy. According to the 2024 Global Mobile Threat Report published by Zimperium earlier this year, attacks are increasingly targeting mobile devices, with 83% of phishing sites now designed specifically for mobile access. More attacks are also originating from mobile devices, as 80% of all malware observed came from sideloaded apps on mobile devices, as noted in the same report.
Two things are clear: Mobile apps are becoming a bigger risk, and traditional security tools and techniques aren’t up to the threat. Further complicating the situation is the rise of AI, which makes both apps and attacks easier to develop. So although this issue has been difficult already, it’s about to get much more so, making now the time to prioritize mobile app security.
5 Key Strategies for Mobile App Security
While the challenges can seem daunting and there is a sense of urgency to address mobile app security, there are practical strategies organizations can implement today to address them.
- Set Up Comprehensive API Security: Monitor all API communications between mobile apps and back-end systems and detect and block suspicious API calls in real time. Implement robust API authentication and rate-limiting to help protect against common API vulnerabilities like injection attacks and unauthorized access.
- Deploy MXDR for Mobile Devices: Extend managed threat detection and response to mobile endpoints, and monitor mobile app behavior for signs of compromise. Track and analyze user behavior patterns with MXDR to correlate mobile threats with broader network activity and enable rapid response to mobile-based threats.
- Run Regular VAPT/DAST Testing: Conduct thorough vulnerability assessments and penetration testing of mobile applications and perform dynamic application security testing in real-world scenarios. Examine both the mobile apps and their supporting infrastructure, including regular testing of API endpoints used by mobile apps, to identify vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.
- Secure the Mobile Data Pipeline: Protect data in transit between mobile apps and servers and secure local data storage on mobile devices. Implement proper session management to monitor potential data leakage points.
- Enable Proactive Defense: Implement runtime application self-protection by deploying automated threat response mechanisms. Regularly apply security updates and patches, and continuously monitor for new vulnerabilities to prevent exposures from escalating into incidents.
Mobile devices are here to stay. Don’t overlook their risks or let securing them become overwhelming. Stay ahead of threats by eliminating risks, and scale your mobile app security to match the growth and pace of your devices and data.
Vamsi Krishna is NopalCyber’s chief information security officer. He has decades of hands-on experience in safeguarding digital ecosystems, complex multifunctional networked enterprises and varying types of mobile applications.
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