3 App Nightmares and the Need for Enhanced App Security

2 min read
Aug 23, 2017

These bone-chilling app nightmares have customers on edge.

The world of technology is under attack. It seems every day we hear of yet another major security breach that left customer information vulnerable. When developing an app for your business, you need to be careful to integrate advanced security measures into your app in order to keep it safe. Here are some of the biggest security nightmares that have plagued the app world in recent times.

Apple’s Malware Infestation

The Apple App Store is considered the most popular and well-trusted app store available. Yet, even Apple has fallen victim to security breaches. In September of 2015, the Apple App Store noticed numerous malware-infected apps had made their way into their store. 

 
The Apple App Store is considered the most popular and well-trusted app store available.Click To Tweet

The malware was called XcodeGhost, and it infiltrated numerous apps by convincing app developers to utilise a modified version of Xcode, which is a software used to create iOS and Mac software. Though it’s an easy mistake to make for a rookie, experienced app developers are well aware of the tricks played by hackers and wouldn’t have used a modified version of Xcode to begin with.

Starbucks’ Mobile Accounts Were Hacked by Thieves

The Starbucks mobile app is one of the most popular business apps, allowing users to pay for their orders directly from their mobile device. However, with money being stored directly in the app, it makes it all too enticing to hackers. Thieves managed to hack into customer accounts, stealing money directly from their account. There are two main flaws in the Starbucks app that contributed to this breach.

  • First, Starbucks doesn’t limit the number of times a person enters their password before being locked out of their account, giving hackers an unlimited number of opportunities to guess a user’s password.
  • Second, Starbucks has an auto-load function on their app that has the account automatically withdraw funds from the bank every time their app becomes low. This enabled the hackers to withdraw a lot more money than they could have if the auto-load function didn’t exist. Two seemingly minor oversights led to tremendous losses for customers and a loss of trust for Starbucks as a company.

With advanced password protection, the Starbucks catastrophe could have been avoided.

Target Continues to Provide Low Security

By now, Target has become famous for their 2013 data breach, which led to customer financial information becoming compromised. However, whilst customer data underwent increased security since then, researchers say their company still isn’t safe. Target’s gift registry remains insecure, and the researchers found that hackers could gain access to a customer’s email address, wish list, name, and home address. Whilst the financial information of customers is safe, hackers could send viruses to customers via their email.

A Safe App Starts with a Trusted App Development Platform

Everything is always clearer in hindsight. Some of the biggest data breaches of all time stemmed from some seemingly small and obvious mistakes. Yet, no matter how obvious, they’re mistakes that are easily overlooked by newbies. The best way to ensure your app is secure is by relying on a trusted app development studio that prioritises your security. At Glance, our expert team of developers works to ensure every app is of the highest quality and integrity, so your app can keep all personal data safe from the menacing hands of hackers. If you’re searching for app developers in London, contact us today.

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