Importance of Encryption in App Development
John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco Systems, once said, “There are two types of companies: those that have been hacked and those that don’t know they have been hacked. Encryption is the key to keep both types of companies secure.
Many enterprises are investing in mobile application development services to streamline and accelerate business processes. Apps are taking on crucial roles in businesses while also paving the way for possible risks to corporate security. So far, preventing hacking is the top priority for app developers and businesses.
According to Fortune Business Heights, the global encryption software market was worth USD 8.82 billion in 2019 and is expected to be worth USD 24.94 billion by 2027, growing at a 14.1% CAGR over the forecast period. So using mobile app encryption to protect data is frequently favored in this regard. It scrambles the text to make it unreadable to those who do not have the decoding key.
Why Encryption is a Must-Have in App Development
Encryption is the process of transforming data into an encrypted message using mathematical algorithms. In layman’s words, this means that when someone tries to read encrypted data, they won’t be able to decode what it says. The only method to decrypt the data is via a key, which is a secret number used to convert the encrypted data back to its original form. Now lets take a look at the reason why encryption in mobile apps is a must.
Secure your transmissions with encryption
There is no doubt that encrypted data provides benefit of data encryption security during transmission. Users can utilize encryption when transmitting files through email or distributing them over a cloud server. This allows them to ensure that no unauthorized user gets access to that information.
For example In 2018, Apple implemented end-to-end encryption for all iMessage conversations. This decision was made after years of criticism regarding the security of messaging apps, as well as high-profile data breaches and hacking incidents.
During the testing phase, Apple’s development team discovered a vulnerability in the encryption protocol that could potentially allow an attacker to intercept and read messages. To address this issue, they implemented an additional layer of encryption known as “Transport Layer Security (TLS)”. This example demonstrates how encryption can give advantages of security during transmission and assist to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Shield from the pitfalls of data manipulation
Hackers can manipulate specific data to impede corporate communications, highlighting the fact that data can be exploited not just through targeted data theft but also through manipulation. In app development, developers use AES, RSA, and SHA mobile app data encryption techniques to protect sensitive data, maintain secure communication, and ensure data integrity. These algorithms serve diverse objectives and perform different activities, but they all play a crucial part in achieving these security goals.
| Encryption Techniques | Benefit in app development |
|---|---|
| Advanced Encryption Standard | Protect confidential data from being intercepted by unauthorized party |
| Rivest-Shamir-Adleman | Secure communication between different parties, such as user interfaces and servers |
| Secure Hash Algorithm | Ensure that data has not been tampered with during transmission or storage |
Provides with a safe harbor from breach notification
Encryption can provide a safe harbor from breach notification. If encrypted data is stolen during a data breach, app developers may not be required to issue a breach notification because the encrypted data would be unreadable and unusable without the encryption key. Mobile app encryption can potentially save developers from significant reputational and financial damage in the event of a breach.
Don’t let a disaster take your data down
As cybersecurity expert Bruce Schneier once said, “Encryption is the cornerstone of security technologies, the one thing that makes you confident that your data is protected.” This quote emphasizes the importance of application data encryption as a critical component of disaster recovery planning in app development. In the event of a disaster, such as a natural disaster or a cyber attack, encrypted data is much less vulnerable to being stolen or misused by hackers or other malicious actors.
Regulatory Compliance Made Easy
“Encryption is not just a best practice, it is increasingly a requirement for regulatory compliance.” stated byScott Crawford, Research Director of Information Security at 451 Research. Most industries have stringent compliance requirements to protect the personal information of individuals maintained by organizations.
A recent study by Marketsand Markets projected that the global encryption software market size will grow from $9.8 billion in 2020 to $29.3 billion by 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 24.6%. Therefore FIPS, HIPAA, and other regulations entirely rely on encryption to protect data.
The Power of Encryption
As the number and sophistication of cyber threats grow, so does the necessity for strong encryption in app development. App developers are taking steps to improve the robustness of their encryption in order to keep their apps and the data they handle secure.
One of the new threats that developers are facing is ransomware, which has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a user’s data and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. To combat this, app developers are implementing strong encryption protocols that can prevent ransomware from accessing sensitive data.
So, the need for enhanced encryption robustness in app development is increasing due to the rise of new threats. Our developers at Finoit technologies also use advanced encryption methods and algorithms to ensure the security of our client apps and the data they handle. If you want to avail best app development services then connect with us!
