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Do app security issues bother you? Unless running their business on some other planet, protecting apps from falling prey to app vulnerabilities is probably the biggest concern enterprises and businesses are facing today. If you still believe that this will not happen to you then your business must need to formulate a sound strategy before app vulnerabilities hit you right when you least expect it.

Let’s analyze some of the app vulnerabilities and how these risks can be minimized.

Malware Attacks
Android mobile applications are infamous for hideous vulnerabilities. This has happened due to Google Play’s open format. Moreover, due to the fact that users can sideload apps, they fail to notice any insight regarding the safety of apps. Google has installed Google Bouncer as a reactive measure to malware. However, Google Play still isn’t fully secured from malware-loaded apps. Malicious mobile application developers disintegrate malware into bits to evade detection, while they use popular app names to lure users into downloading the malware.

Anti-malware apps, for shielding mobile apps against mobile application vulnerabilities, are accessible for free and paid enterprise-class versions. Enterprises must make sure that their employees have anti-malware on their Android devices. Much to our dismay, Android anti-malware apps don’t get the system-level entrance they would in Windows, as a result the sandbox they function in makes for restricted success in malware blocking.

Unauthorized access
Probably one of the best ways to protect against app vulnerabilities and for blocking malware is to guide users about access permissions after a mobile application is being downloaded. The approval of a user is essential before any app can make its way to any other data on an Android device. Several users are oblivious to the fact that how precious their contact data is, and many applications’ rules and regulations habitually conceal the truth about personal data access.

Data leaks from syncing
Data leaks pose serious concerns in apps where users sync data to the cloud. The ever popular Dropbox underwent a password breach that uncovered several user accounts to hackers. In case of a security breach or a password problem, email is the most common medium these services rely on for verification. Usually, a gmail or hotmail account is used for sending a reset link. It’s when they get hacked, the security of the synced data is threatened.

Without an in-depth pentesting and external audit, the fundamental security status of these apps remains concealed from enterprises.

Shamim Rajani is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Genetech Solutions, a one stop shop for all web services specializing in Web Development, Customized Web Applications, Social Media Marketing and other IT related services. Follow her on twitter @ShamimRajani & Linkedin.

Shamim Rajani