Android authentication presents a lot of problems, at the same time it identifies users it may also give access to hackers, increasing risks to Android app security and Android app security testing. The root of the problem is device administrator access.

Gaining device administrator access gives complete access to the device, including creating and managing policies, configurations, applications, through advanced API access to the device. Most apps in the Play store do not require this level of access to the device, and Android app security is at risk when apps request this kind of high level access. When this occurs users need to stop the installation. A lot of malware exploits in 2016 used this strategy to gain device administrator access to Android devices, and Android app security is undermined when a user has no way to understand the risks of permission access.

This threat grows when the target device is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) that the user brings to work, as it may leak the user’s personal information as well as corporate data. When employees use a BYOD device for personal as well as corporate use, they need to be provided with an Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) or Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution that protects corporate information by differentiating clearly between personal and corporate data.

Device authentication assumes that the person using the device is actually a human, making it difficult to authenticate a real user. Behavioural biometrics gives application developers a way to strengthen Android app security by understanding if they are dealing with real humans or an automated response imitating a human. This in turn allows for another level of device authentication without having the user to experience frustration otherwise felt with simple device authentication.

Codified Security is here to help make your mobile app secure whether it’s for iOS, Android app security testing, or to make sure you’re clearing the OWASP Mobile Top 10. For mobile app security testing try out Codified Security.