Page 63 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2025

Key Trends Shaping Mobile App Security

Zero Trust Moves to Mobile

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is no longer confined to enterprise networks. On mobile, this means that
every access request — regardless of the user, device, or location — must be verified in real-time.

Unlike perimeter-based models, ZTA assumes every connection is untrusted until proven otherwise.
When applied to mobile app security, this approach limits exposure, even if an attacker compromises a
device. The result is tighter, context-aware access control. This is a critical defense, as mobile apps
increasingly handle sensitive data in banking, healthcare, identity verification, and other areas.

Runtime Protection Becomes the New Baseline

As attackers get more sophisticated, static mobile app protections like obfuscation need to be combined
with Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP). RASP brings mobile apps real-time awareness of their
operating environment, detecting mobile app security threats like code injection, hooking frameworks, or
rooted environments at runtime.

They give mobile apps real-time situational awareness, enabling defensive actions such as shutting down
the app, restricting functionality, or alerting the security team. Expect RASP adoption to accelerate as
businesses look for deeper visibility and resilience on untrusted endpoints.

Secure SDLC Gains Ground

According to the Enterprise Security Group's findings referenced above, 74% of organizations report that
their app development teams are under increased pressure to move faster. In comparison, 71% indicate
that this speed pressure has compromised mobile app security. Many teams are becoming aware of this
duality and are addressing it by shifting security left. Instead of bolting on mobile app protections post-
release, more teams are embedding security directly into the software development life cycle (SDLC) —
from requirements gathering to testing and deployment.

This secure SDLC model reduces long-term costs, surfaces risks earlier, and creates closer alignment
between engineering and security teams. It also aligns well with continuous delivery models, enabling
faster iteration without compromising protection.

Mobile APIs Under Attack

Mobile APIs are a growing target. Attackers are exploiting poorly protected endpoints to extract data,
manipulate app behavior, or impersonate users. In fact, mobile API abuse has already led to real-world
breaches, especially in industries handling payments, healthcare records, or PII. For example, in 2024,
a multi-factor authentication app Authy, experienced an API endpoint breach, in which attackers
accessed and published millions of Twilio users’ phone numbers.

Securing mobile APIs now requires more than rate limiting. Development teams need to layer in defenses
like mobile app attestation and token binding to ensure only untampered, legitimate apps can access
backend APIs, to ensure it’s your app interacting with your APIs. This step helps block impersonation
attempts and API scraping, both of which are rising among credential stuffing and bot-based attacks.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2025 Edition 63
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