Mobile applications are an integral part of businesses across industries. From banking and fintech to gaming and ride-hailing services, apps connect millions of users globally.
But with this connectivity comes a significant risk.
Mobile apps often store sensitive information, access critical systems, and handle financial transactions.
Understanding the OWASP Mobile Top 10 risks is crucial for developers, security teams, and enterprises that want to protect their users and maintain trust.
The OWASP Mobile Top 10 is a set of the most critical security risks affecting mobile applications.
Developed by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), it serves as a global benchmark for building secure apps.
By proactively addressing these risks, organizations can reduce vulnerabilities, prevent data breaches, and maintain business continuity.
Page Contents
1. Improper Platform Usage
Source: iterasec.com
Mobile platforms like iOS and Android include built-in security features such as sandboxing, permission models, and keychain storage to protect apps and user data.
Improper platform usage occurs when developers misuse these features, request unnecessary permissions, store sensitive data insecurely, or use outdated APIs.
Following platform-specific best practices is essential, including storing credentials in secure locations like Android Keystore or iOS Keychain.
Proper use of these tools ensures apps remain safe, reliable, and resilient against potential attacks.
2. Insecure Data Storage
Many mobile apps store sensitive data such as user credentials, personal information, or payment details directly on the device, and when this data is stored insecurely, it becomes an easy target for attackers.
For example, a note-taking app that stores unencrypted login tokens could allow an attacker to gain full account access if the device is compromised.
Encrypting all sensitive data at rest using strong algorithms and avoiding the storage of secrets in plain text is essential to protect users and maintain app security.
3. Insecure Communication
Mobile applications often transmit data over networks, and insecure communication occurs when this data is sent without proper encryption or through weak protocols.
Attackers can intercept sensitive information using man-in-the-middle attacks, putting credentials, payment details, and personal data at risk.
To protect mobile apps, it is essential to use HTTPS with TLS, enforce certificate pinning, and avoid outdated protocols such as SSL or weak cipher suites.
Proper encryption ensures data remains secure during transmission.
4. Insecure Authentication
Source: appknox.com
Authentication mechanisms are critical for safeguarding access to mobile apps and sensitive resources, but weak or poorly implemented login flows make it easier for attackers to hijack accounts.
For instance, apps that rely solely on static passwords or do not implement multi-factor authentication are highly vulnerable.
To minimize risks, developers should use strong authentication protocols, including multi-factor authentication and secure token handling.
Proper implementation ensures that only authorized users can access the app, protecting both data and user trust.
5. Insufficient Cryptography
Even with encryption, using weak or outdated cryptography compromises security. Insufficient cryptography includes hard-coded keys, weak algorithms, or poor implementation.
To protect data, developers should use modern, well-vetted encryption standards, rotate keys regularly, and never store encryption keys in the code or on the client-side, ensuring robust app security.
6. Insecure Authorization
Authentication alone is insufficient, as insecure authorization allows users to access resources or functions beyond their permissions, exposing sensitive data or operations.
To prevent this, developers should implement server-side role-based access control (RBAC) and always validate user permissions before granting access, ensuring that only authorized users can interact with critical resources.
7. Client-Side Injection
Mobile apps frequently interact with APIs, databases, or local storage, making them vulnerable to client-side injection when input validation is insufficient.
Attackers can exploit poorly sanitized input fields to execute unauthorized SQL queries or manipulate app behavior, leading to data breaches or app compromise.
To prevent this, developers should sanitize all inputs, validate data on both client and server sides, and avoid executing untrusted code, ensuring robust app security.
8. Security Decisions via Untrusted Inputs
Source: teskalabs.com
Some mobile apps rely on client-side logic to enforce security policies, which can be easily bypassed by attackers. Security decisions based on untrusted inputs expose apps to manipulation and unauthorized access.
To prevent this, critical security logic should always be enforced on the server-side, ensuring data and app integrity.
9. Improper Session Handling
Sessions maintain user interactions in mobile apps, but improper session handling, like using predictable or long-lived tokens, can let attackers impersonate users.
To prevent this, developers should use secure, randomly generated session tokens, enforce expiration policies, and provide ways to revoke compromised sessions, ensuring user data and app integrity remain protected.
10. Lack of Binary Protections
Mobile apps without proper protections can be reverse-engineered, modified, or tampered with, exposing intellectual property and security flaws.
To prevent this, developers should implement code obfuscation, app wrapping, runtime integrity checks, and tamper detection.
These measures make reverse engineering difficult and ensure apps remain secure, reliable, and resilient.
Why OWASP Mobile Top 10 Matters
Source: appinventiv.com
Mobile apps often serve as gateways to highly sensitive personal and financial data. Ignoring these risks can lead to data breaches, financial loss, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage.
Conversely, addressing the OWASP Mobile Top 10 strengthens user trust, ensures compliance with security regulations, and provides a competitive advantage in today’s security-conscious market.
Continuous monitoring, regular updates, and advanced mobile security solutions are essential to staying ahead of evolving threats.
Proactively addressing these risks is not just a technical requirement; it is a strategic business decision.
Conclusion
Protecting your mobile applications is essential in today’s digital landscape.
By understanding and mitigating the OWASP Mobile Top 10, organizations can build safer apps, reduce vulnerabilities, and maintain the confidence of their users.
Mobile security is an ongoing process, and integrating it into every phase of app development ensures long-term resilience and reliability.
DoveRunner provides advanced mobile app security solutions designed to address the full spectrum of risks.
From runtime protection and app wrapping to content security and anti-piracy measures, their services safeguard applications across Android and iOS platforms.
With seamless integration, strong encryption, and enterprise-grade DRM support, DoveRunner ensures your apps are secure, compliant, and resilient against evolving threats.
