Mobile Applications - (in) Security Overview

Over the last years, there has been a real revolution of mobile devices, which has effectively translated into the exponential increase in internet access rates on a mobile device as opposed to accessing it on desktop systems. Given the growing importance of smartphones, it is important to assess the privacy and security risks of these devices in order to mitigate them. However, as we know, in modern mobile security architecture, applications represent the most critical elements. In this paper we review common mobile applications flaws involving network communications, data storage, user input handling and also exploring a number of vulnerabilities. While applications provide amazing features and benefits for users, they also represent the main attraction for cyber criminals. In order to have a true picture of the mobile security threat spectrum, this article presents the means of how mobile applications can impact systems security, stability and compromise personal data if they are not handled properly.