Page 64 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2025

On-Device Privacy and Threat Detection

Cloud-based monitoring is useful, but on-device intelligence is gaining traction — and for good reason.
Processing threat signals directly on the device enables faster response times and better privacy controls.
With on-device mobile app threat detection and attestation, apps can verify the integrity of their
environment and make decisions in real time — you don’t need to upload sensitive user data to the cloud
to spot abnormal behavior.

Instead, you can detect jailbreaks, hook attempts, or suspicious message patterns locally and act
immediately. This approach improves security while aligning with evolving data privacy regulations that
restrict data transfer and storage.

Regulation Tightens the Screws

Around the world, compliance mandates are becoming more prescriptive. Frameworks like GDPR,
CPRA, and PCI DSS now require mobile apps to enforce encryption, limit data collection, and conduct
regular security audits.

These regulations are forcing mobile app security into product strategy conversations earlier. For global
brands, adapting to local and international compliance requirements will quickly become table stakes.

What a Proactive Mobile App Security Strategy Looks Like

To address these trends and more, organizations are embracing multi-layered mobile app security
strategies. These include a combination of techniques, such as:

• Code hardening and encryption to resist reverse engineering and protect IP
• Runtime protection to detect tampering, debugging, and dynamic attacks
• Mobile app security testing (MAST) to uncover issues in code and third-party SDKs
• Real-time threat monitoring and attestation to surface real-world attack behavior and
unauthorized API access, guiding the response

Case in point: A top Central American bank transitioned away from a low-support, cloud-wrapped security
vendor after experiencing crashes and limitations. With a multi-layered approach — including code
hardening, testing, and real-time threat monitoring — the bank improved stability, passed pentesting, and
now actively tracks threats in production.

These methods are most effective when integrated directly into development workflows. In fact, 46% of
organizations surveyed in "The Growing Threat Landscape" say that developer-friendly security tools are
a top priority. Nearly 60% plan to increase security budgets, with ease of use and automation among the
most significant drivers.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2025 Edition 64
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