Mobile Application Security - Introductory Cyber Security
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Mobile Application Security

Mobile Application Security

The chapter provides an in-depth analysis of mobile application security, focusing on the attack surface, permission management, and the Android execution model. It highlights the critical importance of understanding vulnerabilities, secure design principles, and inter-process communication mechanisms in safeguarding user data. The chapter emphasizes the need to mitigate risks associated with mobile applications through robust security practices and thorough knowledge of the associated attack vectors.

17 sections

Sections

Navigate through the learning materials and practice exercises.

  1. 1
    Mobile Application Attack Surface And Permission Management

    This section explores the mobile application attack surface and permission...

  2. 1.1
    Granular Components Of The Mobile Attack Surface

    This section examines the intricate components of the mobile application...

  3. 1.2
    Mobile Application Permissions: Granular Control And Insidious Abuse

    This section covers the mobile application permission model, focusing on how...

  4. 1.1.1
    The Mobile Application Itself (Client-Side Logic And Data)

    This section analyzes the attack surface of mobile applications, focusing...

  5. 1.1.2
    The Mobile Device's Operating System (Os) And Runtime Environment

    This section delves into the vulnerabilities related to mobile device...

  6. 1.1.3
    Back-End Apis And Server Infrastructure

    This section discusses the vulnerabilities present in back-end APIs and...

  7. 1.1.4
    Network Environment

    The Network Environment section explores the vulnerabilities associated with...

  8. 1.1.5
    User Behavior And Social Engineering (The Human Factor)

    This section examines the impact of human factors, such as phishing and...

  9. 1.2.1
    The Intrinsic Concept Of Permissions

    This section covers the essential concept of permissions in mobile...

  10. 1.2.2
    Methodologies Of Permission Abuse

    This section discusses how malicious applications exploit the Android...

  11. 2
    The Android Application Execution Model: Sandboxing And Inter-Process Communication

    This section discusses the Android application execution model, focusing on...

  12. 2.1
    Android Application Sandboxing: Foundational Principles And Technical Implementation

    This section explores the Android application sandboxing model, highlighting...

  13. 2.2
    Execution And Inter-Process Communication (Ipc) Of Mobile Apps In Android

    This section covers the execution and inter-process communication mechanisms...

  14. 2.1.1
    Core Principles And Mechanisms Of Android Sandboxing

    This section explores the foundational principles and technical...

  15. 2.1.2
    Overarching Implications Of Sandboxing For Security

    Sandboxing provides robust security for Android applications by isolating...

  16. 2.2.1
    Fundamental Android Application Components

    This section outlines the core components that make up Android applications,...

  17. 2.2.2
    Inter-Process Communication (Ipc) Mechanisms And Their Security Implications

    This section discusses Android's Inter-Process Communication (IPC)...

What we have learnt

  • The mobile application attack surface consists of various components, including insecure storage, communication, and authentication vulnerabilities.
  • Understanding the Android permission model is essential for preventing abuse and ensuring sensitive data protection.
  • Sandboxing and inter-process communication mechanisms are foundational to mobile security, with strict access controls required to prevent unauthorized access to resources.

Key Concepts

-- Mobile Application Attack Surface
The totality of points through which an unauthorized entity can interact with a mobile application, posing risks to the application's integrity, confidentiality, and availability.
-- Android Permission Model
A security mechanism in Android that manages application permissions, ensuring that apps only have access to the resources necessary for their functionality.
-- Sandboxing
A security approach that isolates applications from one another and from the operating system, minimizing the impact of potential security breaches.
-- InterProcess Communication (IPC)
A set of methods enabling communication between different software processes, critical for Android applications to interact while maintaining security.

Additional Learning Materials

Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.