If your business is developing and releasing apps, make sure you implement a testing regime that minimises the risk of vulnerabilities emerging. These vulnerabilities may compromise the security and privacy of your business, its partners and its customers.
Security experts recently reported on a potential vulnerability in a tourism and hospitality firm’s smartphone app. Until it was fixed, this vulnerability allegedly allowed any user to view the personal details of the firm’s other customers.
Businesses that release apps for smartphones or other devices – particularly apps that store or provide sensitive information such as credit card details or travel plans – need to undertake testing before and after the app is released. Post-release security testing should be scheduled regularly and take into account the importance and sensitivity of the app.
Organisations release apps for a number of reasons, including helping to manage customer profiles, enable online shopping or offer hotel bookings. In a many cases, these apps are linked to customers’ personal information.
Security testing is considered best practice when releasing any form of software. It not only reduces the risk of customer data being disclosed, but lowers the possibility of vulnerabilities compromising businesses’ reputations. Security testing can involve a number of activities, such as penetration testing (where an analyst attempts to break into an app’s data) or a source code analysis (where the code of the app is examined for flaws).
If you are unsure of your security testing options, one step you can take is to review guides prepared by government agencies. Some of these guides include lists of best-practice steps and sources of further information.