Organizations are overconfident about their mobile app security practices, according to new research, and it’s putting enterprises and consumers alike at risk.
While 93% of organizations told researchers they were confident in their capabilities, and 97% that they had up-to-date policies outlining mobile app security policies, 62% were breached in the past year, with an average of nine incidents each.
Just over half (52%) fell victim to a malware attack, 45% suffered data breaches or leaks, and 37% experienced unauthorized access to data. The same number suffered credential theft.
Much of the problem derives from pressure to accelerate release cycles, with 74% saying mobile app teams are increasingly pushed on time-to-market. Similarly, 71% of organizations admit this has compromised mobile app security.
“The data is clear, and the perceived trade-off between speed and security is a false choice that is costing organizations,” said Roel Caers, CEO of Guardsquare.
“When developers are under immense pressure to release new features, and security is seen as a roadblock, they are forced to sacrifice protection for time-to-market. This reactive, fire-fighting approach is unsustainable. What’s needed is a proactive, integrated strategy where security is an enabler, not a hindrance.”
Other security challenges included balancing security with app performance, cited by 47%, ensuring compliance (44%) and providing a seamless user experience (42%).
Mobile app security is improving
On the positive side, most respondents reported that they were currently using some core mobile app security capabilities such as data encryption (69%), mobile application security testing (63%) and threat monitoring (59%).
However, the report found low adoption of proactive defenses, with almost 70% of organizations failing to use obfuscation to protect their mobile apps, and 60% lacking Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP).
This, the study warned, is leaving their apps vulnerable to both static and dynamic analysis. Nearly four-in-ten said they relied entirely on DIY security solutions or OS-level protections.
Meanwhile, the impacts of security incidents extend beyond the average reported cost. More than half of respondents (54%) reported application downtime, with 48% experiencing data leakage and 41% suffering a loss of consumer trust.
Worryingly, 85% of survey respondents agreed that a security incident is often the catalyst for a security purchase, with 58% of respondents citing security incidents, 47% partner or client requirements and 30% a failed penetration test or audit.
Researchers said means far too many organizations are taking action too late.
“As organizations face pressure to develop feature-rich applications that can be easily used from any device, attackers often target vulnerabilities in mobile applications,” said Melinda Marks, practice director, cybersecurity, for Enterprise Strategy Group.
“To stay ahead of threats and attacks, security teams need to take a proactive approach to mobile application security with the right tools."
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