Sécuriser vos applications mobiles

Smartphones have become essential gadgets in today’s society. We rely on them to do our daily tasks ranging from asking directions to mobile banking. With massive storage capacity, we store important information on these smartphones, and hence it’s of utmost priority to keep them secure. Besides locking our devices, we usually forget that the apps we use can also be a security risk. If you are considering to up your security game, here are some of the ways in which you can ensure your mobile apps are secure;

Installer des applications à partir de la boutique officielle

At the moment, there are two major operating systems for smartphones, Android and iOS. They both have official stores where their users search for apps, download and install them. In the recent past, there have been malware issues with these stores but not anymore. Nowadays, every app that makes its way to these stores is scanned thoroughly to ensure it doesn’t have any malware. Also, in Android, disable the installation from Unknown Sources settings under security. Only use this setting if you trust the app’s source and after verifying that it’s secure.

Définir les autorisations correctes pour l'application

Les applications que nous utilisons sur nos smartphones nécessitent des autorisations spécifiques pour fonctionner correctement. Parfois, ces autorisations ne sont pas nécessaires. Dans les dernières versions d'Android et d'iOS, vous pouvez définir les autorisations que vous accordez à une application et refuser les autorisations demandées. Lorsque vous accordez des autorisations à une application, soyez sceptique et demandez pourquoi une application nécessite certaines autorisations. Par exemple, il serait illogique qu'une application de lampe de poche demande l'autorisation d'accéder aux contacts, au stockage de fichiers, à la localisation et à l'internet. Méfiez-vous des applications qui demandent l'accès aux services de localisation, à l'appareil photo et aux contacts. Ces applications peuvent vous suivre à la trace et même télécharger vos données à votre insu.

Application cryptage des données

C'est la partie la plus difficile à savoir si elle a été mise en œuvre, mais c'est aussi la plus cruciale. La façon dont les applications traitent vos données détermine leur sécurité. Si l'application ne protège pas vos données, la définition d'autorisations correctes et même l' utilisation de mots de passe seront une perte de temps.

For instance, messengers such as WhatsApp and Telegram have implemented end to end encryption. This ensures that your data is safe while you are communicating through the internet. You should ensure the apps you use to implement such security mechanisms as this makes sure no one will intercept your data. Unless you are an advanced user and know how to do a pen-test, it will be hard to know what apps are secure. But worry not, you can always get the information from the app store.

Consultez les journaux des modifications, les commentaires des utilisateurs et demandez même au développeur. Restez à l'écart des applications qui ne sont pas bien notées.

Assurez-vous que vos applications ne vous espionnent pas

You might have everything in check, but still, your privacy and security might be at risk due to someone spying on you. Most people don’t know if they have spyware on their smartphones and this makes it hard to keep their privacy intact. To know if you have spyware in your device, keep an eye on the following signs; Your device overheating for no reason, excessive data usage, and battery drain, the location turns on by itself, unusual device restarts and crackling sounds when receiving/making a call. Typically, you might ignore the signs thinking that your device is faulty. A combination of the above signs may strongly indicate that somebody is spying on you.

Utiliser un VPN

Lastly, a VPN is your last resort when ensuring your apps are secure especially if they use the internet. A VPN will encrypt your internet traffic and keep it safe from prying eyes.