We have seen in many cases security flaws and attacks through mobile applications. However, this time we echo a report that shows which programs we have on the phone that can be more dangerous. A way to take precautions and check that everything is okay, since they could be used to steal data, sneak malware or cause the device to start malfunctioning.
Old applications, a greater danger
This report has been made by the security company veracode and it shows that as an application is older, more security problems appear. Specifically, they have detected that a recent program, when carrying out the first analysis after a year and a half, has a fault in 20% of the cases. However that goes up to 80% when that program is five or more years old. But it reaches 90% when it passes 10 years.
Why is this happening? One of the reasons is that developers initially focus on having a perfect, safe, and guaranteed product. However, over time they introduce performance improvements, attractive news for users and appearance changes in the application, but they can set safety aside.
The more time passes, the more security problems can appear and the greater the probability that they will not be corrected. This means that, inevitably, if you have a mobile application that was developed more than five years ago, you are more likely to have some vulnerability and suffer an attack.
Does this mean that any old program that you use on your mobile will be insecure? No, but there will be more probability. It’s important to note that it’s going to happen mostly in apps that have fewer downloads and therefore it’s not as cost-effective for developers to constantly review security.
How to improve security
So what can you do to improve security and avoid problems? Something very important is that always check what programs you have installed. If you have an old vulnerability that hasn’t been updated for a long time and you think it might have problems, it’s a good idea to review it. Look for information, read comments and see if it can be dangerous.
It is also essential that you have All updated. Sometimes they can take advantage of a bug in an application to break into a device that has some vulnerability. Always update your mobile, the operating system, and install all the security patches that come out. That will help you avoid problems.
Another key point is to have security programs. If you install a good antivirus it can help you detect malware and protect you from many attacks. It is something that you should always keep in mind, although it is essential that you choose very well which one to install. They can hack a mobile remotely and having security software helps to avoid problems.
In short, if you have old applications on your mobile it is much more likely that you will suffer security attacks. Check everything you have installed and always check that the system is up to date and you have a good antivirus. That will help you avoid many problems in your day to day.
