SOC 2 for Startups is no more a nice-to-have but a necessity amidst the growing Data Security concerns. Data Breach and declining Digital Trust are major issues for the companies across the globe.

The problem is especially critical for the US tech industry. On an average, the cost per Data Breach for a US-based company is USD 9.44 million, (more than twice the global average!). Bigger organizations are coping with the problem by transferring the costs to the customers, however, this is not possible for SMBs.

For tech Startups and SaaS companies, preventing Data Breach is a much more serious and fundamental concern. Occupying the lower rung has its disadvantages and making up for additional costs by charging more is not an option. That’s where SOC 2 for startups becomes crucial.

Organizations want to place their trust in Startups that inspire confidence in matters of data security, privacy, and protection.

Without the big-ticket clients that can bring higher profit margins, up-scaling is impossible.

Digital Trust based on cybersecurity, data privacy, and responsible AI can translate into a 10% annual growth.

Keeping all the bases covered in matters of data security and compliance is the best policy ahead. SOC 2 for startups serves precisely this purpose, especially if they are working on SaaS models or relying on Cloud.

What is SOC 2 for Startups? And, what it is not!

Service Organization Controls 2 or SOC 2 is an all-encompassing compliance, auditing, and reporting framework governed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The responsibility of updating and maintaining the SOC 2 lies with the Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

An SOC 2 audit conducted by third-party auditors results in an Attestation Report. An organization shows the Attestation Report to prove its SOC 2 compliance to interested customers.

Why was SOC 2 created?

The chief aim behind laying the SOC 2 framework was to ensure secure storage, processing, and usage of client data by third-party service providers. 

As a compliance framework, SOC 2 was created for software vendors and tech companies with customer data. It enables them to demonstrate the security controls in place to protect the data of their customers. 

Being an auditing framework, SOC 2 is for independent third-party auditing by certified accounting firms and agencies. It provides the outline and standards for auditing, assessing, and verifying the security processes and controls employed for protecting and managing data.

The many meanings of SOC 2

SOC 2 is a generic term which carries various interrelated meanings, though with subtle differences. Officially, and for the AICPA, SOC 2 is a Reporting Framework. 

For CPAs, accounting firms, and independent auditors or agencies, it’s an Auditing Framework. 

SOC 2 is a Compliance Framework for SaaS companies and tech Startups.

SOC 2 acts as a Security Standard or a Compliance Standard. Sometimes, it is an ‘Audit’. Loosely (and inaccurately!), it’s a certification!

SOC 2 for Startups vs. Large Organizations – What’s the difference?

SOC 2 carries a different weight and significance for Startups. For larger organizations, SOC 2 may be a routine since they may be already complying with it. Their level of familiarity and past data security efforts contribute to their staying SOC 2 compliant.

For Startups, SOC 2 poses challenges.

Startups are often confused about the nature of SOC 2. They have difficulty understanding its overall framework, requirements, and the process of compliance. Many new companies cannot appreciate its benefits, or that SOC 2 compliance takes time. Months! 

SOC 2 for startups is a necessity in today’s Data Security conscious environment. Despite its complexities, the detailed paperwork it demands, and the costs involved, SOC 2 is crucial for promising Startups. They may choose to ignore or delay it at their own risk!

What SOC 2 is not?

SOC 2 is absolutely not a certification. 

The SOC 2 audit results in a comprehensive report. This attestation report carries the opinion of the auditor regarding the operating effectiveness and design of controls. SOC 2 is absolutely not a security certification! Unlike the HIPAA compliance certification, you don’t pass or fail the SOC 2.

SOC 2 Compliance is not a legal requirement. 

SOC 2 is voluntary, not mandatory! Startups should begin their journey towards SOC 2 for the benefits it offers, and not under any external pressure.

SOC 2 is not a substitute for Security Best Practices.

Startups choose to become SOC 2 compliant to gain a competitive advantage and win the trust of prospective enterprise clients. The SOC 2 attestation reports carry the auditor’s opinion. A positive opinion does not mean that you are meeting the best security standards.

What is SOC 2 Compliance?

SOC 2 Compliance is a term used from the perspective of software vendors, tech companies, SaaS Startups, and their customers. If an organization complies with the SOC 2 requirements, it is believed to observe high standards of information security. Therefore, it is safe to do business with the complying organization.

In this sense, it’s a desired status that shows greater trust and higher confidence of prospective enterprise-level clients in the scenario of B2B dealings. SOC 2 compliance can also come as a customer request before signing a business contract. However, such a request is not feasible since SOC 2 reporting can take months.

To achieve an SOC 2 Compliant status, Startups need to undergo an auditing process, resulting in an attestation report. The SOC 2 report evaluates the organization’s own claims regarding its quality of security controls.

Who needs SOC 2 Compliance?

There are different factors that determine whether a startup needs to get an SOC 2 compliance report. Again, for the sake of avoiding confusion, let’s just recall that law or the government do not mandate SOC 2. It’s voluntary, but it is needed for SaaS Startups to build trust with mid-market and enterprise-level prospects. 

The factors governing the need for SOC 2 compliance include:

Factors determining the need of SOC 2 for Startups

Stage of the Startup

Early stage Startups should not worry about SOC 2. However, if your Startup is entering the growth stage, it’s time to take SOC 2 seriously. If you are already beyond the growth stage and without a compliance report, it should be a top priority for you.

Growth and Expansion Plans

There are different ways in which your startup may scale from its growth stage. If you are looking to scale gradually, then the SOC 2 may not be a matter of urgency. However, if you are looking for a breakthrough that sets you on the path to expansion, then you should make SOC 2 a top priority. You need SOC 2 to win enterprise deals!

Your Client’s Business and Industry

Data Breach and Digital Trust are major issues of concern in the current environment of rapid Digital Transformation. Mark the industries of the prospective enterprise clients you are aiming to do business with in the coming phase. It’s time for action if your future clients are operating in any of the following industries.

• Healthcare
• Finance
• Pharmaceuticals
• Technology

Companies operating in these industries are more likely to be cautious regarding data security standards. This is owing to the additional costs they have to bear and pass on to their customers owing to Data Breaches. Therefore, you should not delay starting the SOC 2 process for your startup if you are planning to break into any of these segments. 

Your Startup’s Business and Industry

Your Startups core business and the industry it is operating in also dictate the need for compliance. This is regardless of the fact whether your model is B2B or B2C! Needless to mention that healthcare and financial data are extremely sensitive. You would lose potential clients and customers without SOC 2. 

However, you may need an SOC 2 owing to the underlying operational processes of your business. SOC 2 is critical if your startup is offering e-commerce services. If you have to depend upon, or work with, Big Data, your clients and customers will request your SOC 2 report.

Importance of SOC 2 for Startups

There are reasons beyond trust-building and up-scaling to prioritize SOC 2 compliance for startup. A proactive approach towards attaining SOC 2 is always better than waiting for a request.

Starting and Encouraging the right Cybersecurity Culture

SOC 2 is not just about a positive market perception of your startup. It’s also about laying the groundwork of a security-first culture within your company. You may choose to attain the SOC 2 attestation report before trying to expand by onboarding enterprise clients. 

It’s better to aim for compliance at the early-stage itself. SOC 2 controls operate within an organization day in and day out. When your startup has to operate with high data security standards, it becomes a work-culture less painfully. 

Your employees and teams don’t need to make adjustments if your startup is SOC 2 compliant after the first year. DevOps personnel code with security vulnerabilities in mind. Everyone at the company opens emails carefully. Sensitivity to customer data and alertness against hackers and unwanted access becomes a habit. It is easier to identify vulnerable systems, processes, and personnel within your organization.

Organizations that choose to be SOC 2 compliant from the outset are easier to manage and scale. Their employees live and breathe a security-first culture, which they pass and propagate. As the teams expand and your startup works on bigger projects, cybersecurity becomes a way of living, not a burden. 

Your startup can also save significant architecture redesigning costs by building a strong data security foundation from the outset with SOC 2.

Building Stakeholder Confidence

Startups need new investors. By attaining SOC 2, you become more attractive to venture capitalists. Data Breach is a major issue for tech investors. Startups with SOC 2 are good for investment. SOC 2 compliance proves better market reputation, lower risk, and higher chances of expansion by gaining enterprise-level customers.

Streamlining Internal Processes

The SOC 2 framework has a very broad scope. The prerequisites for SOC 2 audit go beyond cybersecurity. For example, while preparing for the SOC 2 audit, you will need to establish several entity-level controls for security. These controls include HR procedures for employee onboarding and onboarding, documentation, performance reviews, security risk assessments, security training, etc. On their own, these controls and processes may not be necessary for a startup. However, they are crucial during the expansion phase.

The pre-auditing SOC 2 process prepares you for the future by setting and streamlining. These processes go ignored until startups reach the expansion stage. At this later stage, when Startups are working on tougher and bigger projects, the setting up of these processes disturbs the workflow.

An SOC 2 process from the outset helps you streamline various internal processes while creating the path for smooth scalability. Early stage SOC 2 compliant Startups have high rates of customer retention, higher employee productivity, and few data breach incidents.

Saving Time, Reducing Disruption, Contributing to Business Growth

SOC 2 involves an intensive process for which you will have to designate personnel in your organization. Delaying SOC 2 until your customer demands a report is therefore not a good idea. It will disrupt the workflow and consume your organization’s precious time. 

By getting the SOC 2 report on a prospective customer’s request, you won’t be able to establish a security-first culture. In fact, you may end up hurting your employee’s confidence and damage their attitude towards data security.

Prior SOC 2 compliance saves time! It will allow you extra time to devote to your core business, when it will matter the most – the expansion stage. Your scaling-up will be smooth and free of disruption.

SOC 2 reports lead to faster sales cycles by being a single substitute for many RFIs required for each sale. 

SOC 2 can do more than save time and prevent disruptions at crucial junctures on your startup’s journey. It can help you win more and bigger customers, propelling your startup’s exponential growth.

Mitigating Data Breach risks

Data Breaches can prove costly for your startup. Besides, a serious data breach can strike a blow to your reputation, and that’s the last thing you would want as a startup. 

SOC 2 does not guarantee a 100% protection against data breaches. However, strong controls for data protection and cybersecurity ensure data breaches are avoided and minimized. They act as a safeguard against the hackers. SOC 2 controls also offer protection against internal lapses, such as system failures, accidental data leaks, and technical misconfigurations, etc.

Avoiding Data Security Lapses

Once you set the cybersecurity culture in your organization with the first SOC 2 report, you would want to maintain your status. Your Startup will earn a reputation and perform better after the first SOC 2 audit report. Also, your teams will feel more confident and comfortable with strong data security controls in place. 

SOC 2 controls promote multi-factor authentication, encryption on transmitting and stored data, firewalls, and data backups, etc. With strong data security mechanisms in place, your startup will always be on its toes to tackle information security breaches. That’s a good habit! Annual SOC 2 reports plug all data security gaps, and keep your employees and customers assured of data security.

Gaining a Competitive Advantage

SOC 2 compliant SaaS Startups not only enjoy a better reputation, but they close more deals, too. If you are an early-stage startup, then SOC 2 may not be a matter of urgency for you. However, an SOC 2 report lets your startup stand out from the crowd. It may provide that hidden force that you will need to beat your competitors. It tells your potential customers that you take data security seriously, encouraging them to do business with you. 

Many startups survive and do satisfactory business without compliance. However, they stagnate due to declining customer retention. The problem is not their quality of products and services. Instead, the growing concerns for data security discourage their customers. Even the happy ones! 

Startups without SOC 2 are unlikely to do business with enterprise clients. It becomes a major roadblock to their growth. Mid-market and enterprise clients are very particular about the data protection controls. They are unlikely to do business with your Startup unless the data security standards of your organization satisfy them. Over 40% of the companies are already submitting a proof of cybersecurity along with their proposals as an essential requirement. The figure will rise further in the coming years owing to supply chain attacks. 

An SOC 2 report tells enterprises you are a reliable company in data handling matters. They will choose you over Startups without an SOC 2 report. By reducing due diligence time, prior SOC 2 reports will make your company a preferred choice.

Building and Maintaining Credibility

It’s not an exaggeration to say that we are living amidst a Digital Trust crisis. Enterprises are spending more time, money, and resources in ascertaining the data security controls before entering into deals with emerging companies. 

SOC 2 compliance report is a mark of credibility both for your prospective customers and your investors. It’s a proof of your sincerity towards data security throughout your operations. It acts as an inexhaustible source of stakeholder confidence.

Understanding the SOC 2 Framework 

In order to attain SOC 2 for startup, you will need a thorough understanding of the framework before beginning the SOC 2 process. 

Trust Service Categories (TSCs) are the main component of SOC 2 framework and sit at the top of the hierarchy. You will need to define, set up, and implement Information Security Controls depending upon the TSCs you choose.  

AICPA outlines its approach for companies to begin the SOC 2 process through a few points. These points help companies implement controls based on TSCs.

Information Security

Information Security is the central concern of SOC 2. It relates to protecting data of clients and customers from unauthorized access and use. 

Secure Logical and Physical Access

Securing Logical and Physical Access is about restricting access to data, devices, and networks. They help in identifying authorized personnel to manage access while also laying out the roles, responsibilities, and privileges. 

Continuous System Operations

System Operations relates to the strength and efficiency of the infrastructure to detect and tackle deviations and disruptions in operations. It also focuses on the time required for mitigating the process deviations to avoid information security breaches.

Change Management

Change Management refers to secure handling of infrastructure, software, processes, or data after the updates. Preventing unauthorized changes during the updates is a central concern here.

Risk Mitigation

Risk Mitigation is meant to encourage identification, tracking, and monitoring of risks to business and services. These risks may relate to information security, location, or growth.

What are SOC 2 Trust Service Categories (TSCs)? 

There are five categories for controls related to the storage and management of client data. ‘Security’, ‘Availability’, ‘Processing Integrity’, ‘Confidentiality’, and ‘Privacy’ are the five TSCs defining the overall scope of the SOC 2 framework. While ‘Security’ is a mandatory category for SOC 2 compliance, the remaining four are optional.

Security

‘Security’ is mandatory and required for all SOC 2 reports. The SOC 2 audit is not complete without the Security category and underlying criteria. It determines the overarching security standards for your Startup and sets the controls for Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy categories.

Security Category focuses on protecting information and systems from unauthorized access. It tests customers’ data and keeps it protected. It covers creation, collection, processing, transmission, storage, and usage of data and the systems that handle the data.

Five SOC 2 Trust Service Categories

Availability

The ‘Availability’ category ensures the security and availability of systems for clients and employees. Customers and clients need the availability of systems to access the services, their personal data, or to communicate. Employees need the availability of systems to perform their duties.

Network performance, server downtime, and security event handling etc. fall under ‘Availability’ category.

Though ‘Availability’ related criteria are optional, they are important for SaaS Startups and Data centers.

Processing Integrity

‘Processing Integrity’ pertains to the systems processing data for the organization. It ensures that the information processing carried out by the systems is complete, accurate, timely, and validated. Incident-free processing, storage, and maintenance of data falls under the criteria related to ‘Processing Integrity’. Therefore, it also covers the possibilities of processing errors and their diagnosis, detection, and fixing mechanisms.

‘Processing Integrity’ tells your customers that the data processes are smooth, without discrepancies, fast, and error free. It also means that the systems handling the processes are safe from unauthorized access, and the data cannot be manipulated during processing.

‘Processing Integrity’ is of critical importance to startups offering e-commerce services, payment processing services, and FinTech startups.

Confidentiality

The ‘Confidentiality’ category aims at protecting confidential information by restricting access, usage, and storage. The data covered by this criteria falling under ‘Confidentiality’ has to be designated as confidential for the customers. It may or may not be personal data. These criteria also guide the identification, protection, and destruction of confidential information.

‘Confidentiality’ confirms that your startup respects the confidentiality of sensitive information such as intellectual property, business plans, and trade secrets, etc. It demonstrates that such sensitive data is handled, allowed accessibility, and protected by high security standards.

For startups operating in the B2B space, and with prospective clients that may have customer data of confidential nature, ‘Confidentiality’ is important.

Privacy

The ‘Privacy’ category applies only to the personal information of clients and customers. Unlike ‘Confidentiality’, where information needs to be designated as confidential, the ‘Privacy’ applies by auto-identification of personal information.

Criteria falling under ‘Privacy’ tell the customers and clients that their personal information is collected, handled, and stored following high standards of data security. Such information may include name, age, contact information, email address, Social Security number, ID details, account details, and purchase history, etc.

‘Privacy’ related criteria are important for Startups operating in the e-commerce industry. Besides, it is also important for SMBs whose customers are highly conscious of the privacy of their personal data.

How to choose the SOC 2 Categories and Criteria? 

Criteria falling under ‘Security’ category are mandatory to get an SOC 2 report, so there’s no choice! For the remaining four, you can consider the following questions to decide the TSCs you should opt for initially.

What is your core business?

Depending upon your core business, you can choose one or more of the optional criteria. Here are a few critical TSCs for SOC 2 for startups based on business type and industry.

Are you planning to target Enterprise-level clients?

Most Startups don’t target enterprise clients from the outset. You are most likely not an exception! 

However, if you are planning to target enterprise clients in the coming months, consider ‘Confidentiality’. Enterprises lay maximum importance on security and confidentiality compliance.

Which industries are you planning to sell to?

Attitudes to Data Security vary by industry and they are often guided by the fears and costs of Data Breaches. Choose comprehensive SOC 2 reporting if you are planning to onboard enterprise clients from healthcare, financial, pharmaceuticals, or technology sectors. The average Data Breach costs in these sectors are high, which makes them extra conscious about data security compliance.

What are your prospective clients’ expectations?

There’s no alternative to researching your prospective clients’ expectations of data security. Try to find out their data security concerns. There’s no harm in asking them directly.

The ‘Processing Integrity’ and ‘Availability’ criteria take precedence if financial transactions are in the picture. In B2C scenarios, ‘Privacy Criteria’ becomes critical. Well, these are just a few hints! You’ll have to do your homework to avoid spending extra time and money on SOC 2.

Types of SOC 2 Reports

There are two types of SOC 2 reports, Type 1 and Type 2. SOC 2 for startups begins with a Type 1 report and the compliance cycle begins with the first Type 2 report.

SOC 2 Type 1 Report

The SOC 2 Type 1 report is a basic report. Its scope is limited to assessing the design of security controls at a specific point in time. To get this report, identify the controls and document the control policies. Besides, you will also need to collect evidence that the controls in place are functioning at the time of auditing. 

The assessment for SOC 2 Type 1 report involves staff interviews, a walkthrough of the facility, and a thorough review of control documentation. It takes a few weeks to 3 months to get a Type 1 report. 

SOC 2 Type 2 Report 

The SOC 2 Type 2 report is a detailed report with a wider scope. It is based on the assessment of the functionality of controls and processes over a period. The Monitoring Period lasts from 3 to 12 months for the first SOC 2 Type 2 report. Subsequently, the Monitoring Period is 12 months, for each annual report. During the Monitoring Period, the efficacy of controls set up by the startup is rigorously assessed. The company should operate without deviation from the established controls and procedures during this period. All the policies should be followed.

The Type 2 report audit can assess the actual operational efficacy of data security controls. 

To attain SOC 2 for startup, you will need an SOC 2 Type 2 report.

Understanding the SOC 2 Controls

Controls are the basis of SOC 2 evaluation and reporting. Each Control is a specific set of policies, procedures, processes, and systems focusing on a particular aspect of data security. By implementing these policies, procedures, processes, and systems, you implement a Control, to comply with a specific TSC. 

As a startup, you choose the compliance categories (TSCs) and the type of SOC 2 report you want. However, for AICPA and the auditors, the SOC 2 framework is a bunch of controls. 

It is important to familiarize yourself with the different categories of controls and understand how they correspond to the TSCs. 

To begin with, there are two types of controls: Common Criteria (CC), and Specific Criteria. The Common Criteria correspond to the Security category, while the Specific Criteria relate to the Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy categories.

Common Criteria Controls and Security Controls

Common Criteria (CC) Controls or Security Controls are common to all five categories of Trust Services. Remember that Security Controls overlap Controls from other categories! There are nine series of CC Controls, of which five are Essential Common Criteria Controls, and four are Additional Common Criteria Controls.

CC1 Series – Organization

CC1 Series controls relate to the organization of your startup, or the environment in which all the controls will operate. They lay the foundation of ethics and integrity over which all the other controls are established.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC1.1	Commitment to ethical values and integrity
CC1.2	Board’s independence from the Management, and its oversight on the Management
CC1.3	Establishing roles, responsibilities, and reporting structure with clarity
CC1.4	Retention and development of employees that are performing well
CC1.5	Building a culture of accountability around responsibilities related to internal controls

CC2 Series – Information and Communication

CC2 Series controls relate to Information and Communication. They focus on collection and dissemination of information within and outside the organization. They strengthen the information security architecture by encouraging investigation against control violations.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC2.1	Use of relevant information for supporting internal controls
CC2.2	Clear communication of responsibilities and objectives of controls
CC2.3	Communicating with external parties regarding issue impacting internal controls

CC3 Series – Risk Assessment

CC3 Series controls focus on financial and technical risk assessment.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC3.1	Specification of objectives for risk assessment enablement
CC3.2	Identification and management of risks
CC3.3	Consideration of a potential fraud in risk assessment
CC3.4	Identification and assessment of changes that can impact internal control system

CC4 Series – Monitoring

CC4 Series controls deal with the monitoring of adherence to controls. They lay the foundation for the auditing process, and help in outlining the strategy for communicating the audit results to stakeholders.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC4.1	Evaluations to ensure that all components of internal controls are functioning.
CC4.2	Evaluation and communication of internal control deficiencies for timely corrective action

CC5 Series – Control Activities

The CC5 series of controls relates to Control Activities themselves. These activities occur within and between the technology environment, policies, and procedures adopted by your startup. CC5 series controls aim at establishment of policies for Control and their dissemination to personnel.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC5.1	Selection and development of control activities to mitigate risks
CC5.2	Selection and development of general control activities over technology
CC5.3	Deployment of control activities through policies and procedures for putting policies

There are four additional CC controls.

CC6 Series – Logical and Physical Access Controls

The Logical and Physical Access Controls are one of the most important sets of controls in the SOC 2 framework. They tie the policies, procedures and implementation of each component of the information security architecture together.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC6.1	Implementation of logical access security software, infrastructure, and architecture over protected data
CC6.2	Authorisation of internal and external users before issuing credentials and granting access to systems
CC6.3	Management of access to protected data based on roles and responsibilities
CC6.4	Restricting access to physical facilities and protected information assets to authorized personnel
CC6.5	Discontinuation of logical and physical protection over physical assets
CC6.6	Implementation of logical access security measures for protection against external threats
CC6.7	Restricting the transmission, movement, and removal of information to authorized personnel
CC6.8	Implementation of controls to detect and prevent introduction of unauthorized or malicious software

CC7 Series – Systems and Operational Controls

The Systems and Operational Controls focus on the tools for detecting vulnerabilities and anomalies in the security architecture. These controls show the speed of response against disruptions to normal operations, which is important for mitigating risks.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC7.1	Detection and monitoring vulnerabilities due to configuration changes and threats posed by new vulnerabilities
CC7.2	Monitoring of system components and their operations to detect anomalies like malicious acts, errors, and natural disasters
CC7.3	Evaluation of Security Events for prevention of security failures
CC7.4	Implementation of Incident-response Programme to identify and respond to Security Incidents
CC7.5	Creation and execution of activities to recover from known Security-incidents

CC8 Series – Change Management Controls

There is only one control in this series. It relates to significant changes in policies and procedures for updating infrastructure, software, data, and processes. The main aim of CC8 control is to establish an approval hierarchy to manage changes.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC8.1	Establishing a hierarchy of approvals for any changes to policies and procedures governing updating of infrastructure, data, software, and processes.

CC9 Series – Risk Mitigation Controls

Risk Mitigation Controls concentrate on identification of risks and outlining of activities to mitigate those risks.

Control Criteria	Objective
CC9.1	Prescription and development of risk mitigation activities
CC9.2	Assessment and management of risks associated with business partners and vendors

Specific Criteria Controls

Specific Criteria Controls are for the optional TSCs, ‘Availability’, ‘Processing Integrity’, ‘Confidentiality’, and ‘Privacy’.

Controls to ensure ‘Availability’

Control Criteria	Objective
A1.1	Monitoring and evaluation of current processing capacity and the use of infrastructure, data, and software for the management and extension of capacity demand
A1.2	Management and operation of software, environmental protections, data backup processes, and infrastructure for data recovery
A1.3	Testing of recovery plan procedures

Controls to maintain ‘Processing Integrity’

Processing Integrity Controls deal with situations when an organization is transacting on behalf of another organization. It may be your Startup’s client or a customer.

Control Criteria	Objective
PI 1.1	Communication of relevant information regarding data, products, and services.
PI 1.2	Accuracy and completeness of information
PI 1.3	Continuity of system processes relating to products, services, and reporting
PI 1.4	Availability and delivery of outputs accurately, completely, and timely
PI 1.5	Adherence to specifications relating to storing inputs, processing items, and outputs

Controls for preserving ‘Confidentiality’

Control Criteria	Objective
C1.1	Identification and maintenance of confidential information
C1.2	Disposal of confidential information

Controls to maintain ‘Privacy’

There are 18 controls dedicated to maintaining privacy of information. These controls concentrate on:

• Defining, management, and implementation of Privacy Policies

• Accessibility to private information for reviewing and updating

• Use, retention, and disposal of personal information  

• Notifying consumers regarding the Privacy Policy, and changes and updates

• Protection of personal information by restricting logical and physical access

• Availability of the choice and consent for the use of personal information

• Collection and disclosure of personal information only for purposes and to parties as mentioned in the Privacy Policy
• Quality of management procedures for maintaining privacy of personal information

Process for SOC 2 for Startups

Step 1

Assembling the SOC 2 Team and Starting a Culture

The first step towards compliance involves assigning personnel the responsibility of sailing through the process. Larger companies have elaborate Governance, Risk, and Compliance or GRC teams for this purpose. However, as a Startup you will need a smaller team. Your SOC 2 team should include:

• A Technical Lead to communicate with the auditor. This person will act as a bridge between the SOC 2 team and the auditor. CTO or a VP of Engineering can be ideal for this role.

• A Business Process Lead to manage the compliance and auditing tasks. This person will define the workflow, delegate responsibilities, and establish deadlines. A COO or HR Manager is ideal for this role.

• An Information Security Lead, who will be responsible for Security Process Documentation. You may appoint a Director of Security for this purpose or assign this role to a Senior Engineer.

In case you cannot identify the individuals for the above roles, you can choose another way. Start by forming multidisciplinary teams with SOC 2 volunteers and authors. The authors translate the business requirements into policies with the help of volunteers. After making a few policies in this manner, you will be able to identify the right individuals for the SOC 2 team roles.

After setting up the team, you will need to communicate the significance of SOC 2 to all the employees. It’s important to establish a culture of security to move smoothly towards compliance. Promoting a Cybersecurity Culture will keep everyone in your organization well-informed. Besides, it will be crucial for subsequent SOC 2 reports and in scaling-up.

Step 2

Setting up the Information Security Architecture

The InfoSec architecture will comprise systems, policies, and controls, besides the SOC 2 team. You may need to designate a person in each team to ensure adherence to data security rules.

Here’s a list of ‘Policies’ that will help you set up an InfoSec System for the categories and controls of your SOC 2 report. Please note that not all of them may  apply in your case.

Step 3

Implementing SOC 2 Requirements

Put the data security processes, policies, and procedures into practice to check if they are working for you. Start by a Gap Analysis. Look for Gaps in the choice of Categories and Controls that you have identified.

After finalizing the scope of your SOC 2, check if you have required policies in place. Assign individuals within the organization to review the policies. Updates the policies and procedures. Don’t hesitate to employ an external reviewer!

Once you have plugged the gaps, you can move towards upgrading the Security Control Design within your organization. You may have to make slight adjustments to the business operations to meet the data security requirements.

Implementing SOC 2 requirements often requires upgrading hardware, software, and networks. Make sure that you make additional tools, services, licenses, and consultants available to your team to operationalize security controls.

Step 4

Evidence Collection and Documentation

Collect evidence showing that all the security controls within the organization are working as intended. The collected evidence has to be documented. 

Some essential documentation includes:

• Management Assertions explains how the startup’s system fulfills the service commitments and meets the TSCs selected for the audit.

• System Descriptions show the components of the infrastructure that fall in the scope of the SOC 2 audit. Flowcharts and diagrams make up the Systems Descriptions.

• Control Matrix provides the details of the Controls, Criteria, and Categories. 

 The auditor refers to documentation and checks the claims regarding the operating security controls to create the SOC 2 report. 

Please note that the auditor’s opinions make the SOC 2 Attestation Report, and they will be based on your documentation. Therefore, any lapse in collecting evidence and recording it will reflect in the SOC 2 audit report.

Step 5

Readiness Assessment and Remediation

Readiness Assessment is a rehearsal of the actual auditing performed by internal or external auditors. Its aim is to point out the gaps in security controls prior to the final audit. 

You may choose to create a report from the mock audit, or simply concentrate on finding the deficiencies and remedial actions.

Step 6

Preparing for final SOC 2 Audit

Choose an auditing firm or a certified auditor to conduct the compliance audit for your company. Keep all the documentation ready for the auditor. Prepare your staff for the interviews that will include questions regarding business operations, security controls, and SLAs.

After receiving the Attestation Report, prepare for continuous monitoring and attaining the next SOC 2 report. 

Following these six steps, you will be able to sail through your first SOC 2 process. 

FAQs

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The number one reason behind the attacks is the advancement of our smartphones. Previously, smartphones weren’t capable of doing much but now they are like a full-fledged computer. We store all of our personal documents, our private pictures, Credit/Debit card PINs etc in our smartphones. Although what was made to benefit is actually harming many app companies at an alarming rate.

App revolution was the point of the renaissance to our society. A lot of app development companies emerged thus making the market stronger. At present, there are various app owners from small to large scale catering to different cadres of customers. Although to give a personalized experience most of these app companies started to collect user data. This benefitted both the parties but also made both of them vulnerable at the end. Why? Because there is an immense amount of data that is being collected. Although, a simple hack can lead to a monumental leak making our privacy vulnerable.

The data that is being stolen is either sold to a company for research purposes or on the dark web to find potential victims. Also, a lot of anonymous hackers just do it for the fun of it trying to find the fun in superiority. We are an app development company so we have often been vulnerable but taking the necessary measures have always been counterproductive. Therefore, to create awareness and spread the word of wisdom, we thought of writing this article. 

Note: We have also written an article over Best AI Engines to get you started with App Development, therefore click on the link to check it out.

Factors that led to Cyber Security Threats on Mobile Apps

There has been a spike in the development of smartphones from a couple of years. It is said that there are almost 1.5 billion smartphones all around the world. This makes the app market stronger than it previously had been in the history of mankind. 

It is being estimated that there are almost 2.1 million apps in PlayStore, 1.8 million apps in the Apple App Store while rest of the store comprises of approximately 1.4 million. This creates a vast opportunity for attackers to target mobile app companies & individuals and bringing Cyber security threats and their prevention to the priority list. 

The gain behind this is simple “most of these applications ask for your personal data”. Data is the gold that sells in the market today and there are many buyers.

Although, what are the prime factors that have led to this upsurge in the attacks. Below are some that we have addressed.

Budget: If you are a small company then getting yourself a cyber security check would be the last thing in mind. With big industries, it is almost impossible to breach the security unless you have access to their VPN. They have dynamic layers of security and access codes to them change with time. Although, even after that their security is compromised sometimes. 

On the other hand, small to medium-sized companies hardly have the budget to get an app made completely in the beginning. There are multiple expenditures so they often forget that securing their data and systems from foreign intrusion is priority number one. 

Connectivity: The world is connected today and it is of no doubt that every app company is vulnerable. For a person who has been running around with a device searching for open Wifi is a potential threat to your app company. 

Imagine a scenario of phishing where one of your employees lost his login credentials to the attacker. To mitigate such risks, organizations often turn to specialized security services. National Technical Field Services provide expert solutions in securing corporate networks and preventing unauthorized access, ensuring that businesses can operate without constant cyber threats.

Accessing any mail sent by the attacker, your employee would simply login to his/her company profile simply revealing his/her personal login information. Just think how much of your company data can be compromised if any of your employee’s account gets attacked. All the employee mails, your email, in fact, some of the sensitive data which you may have shared with him/her. Data means the world to us today.

This connectivity has even led to more cases of malware attacks. A trusted mail is sent to you in the form of a file, the employee just clicks on it and download the file. The moment he opens that file a malware is installed in the background. It is even possible to encrypt a Trojan at the back of a picture or a text file. This can give complete access to the attacker with all the permission signed by some random person working in your office. The irony of the whole story is that he/she may not even know about it. 

Mobile App: Yes, I am talking about the apps themselves. There is an attack known as a binary attack. It is simple yet a great way to intrude at least for a cracker or Black Hat Hacker. It only involves decrypting a mobile application and adding a bit of code into it. After that encrypting into the package again itself. This application once installed will give access to all the information and devices that you have in your smartphone. Imagine the amount of data one can get from your employee’s smartphone. In fact, the attacker is capable of establishing a connection with the app server by your credentials.

Types of Cyber Security Threats

Malware

Malware or Malicious Software are programs that are often propagated in our system via malicious code. These codes will be downloaded to the user’s system via an application. Most of these files might look like software or an app but the damage they can do is endless. From destroying files to replication to completely taking over your system. Most of this depends on the nature of Malware you have downloaded by ignorance. There are a variety of Malware Attacks that can intrude in your app companies system software such as:

File Infectors: Most of these viruses are executed in the system using a .exe file. The moment someone opens that .exe file, a File Infector start infecting the system.

Boot Loader Virus: I have personally been a victim of this one. These viruses will attach themselves to the bootloader of your system. A Boot loader virus will hinder you from accessing your system by disabling the bootloader. This makes the system incapable of loading the Operating System. These viruses can also move from one computer to another and different parts of the hard drive.

Macro Viruses: These are self-replicating types. Most of these viruses will attach themselves to a sequence of Excel or Word files. The moment someone opens them before transferring the control to the prospective application they get executed.

Trojans: A trojan is generally a back-door to your system. In this, the attacker will inject the code into a program that looks trusted. Once installed by the victim, it will make the attacker capable of making your system a Zombie. The attacker is then capable of accessing your file, read/write, in fact, he/she can access the devices in your system too. Devices like Web Camera, Microphone, GPS etc.  So, if your camera light is on unexpectedly, it could indicate unauthorized access.This cyber security threat can completely take over the system and needs a special check.

Logic Bombs: These are unique by nature. They are executed once a certain condition or occurrence happens. For instance, a certain date or time or any event can activate a logic bomb in your system.

Stealth Viruses: These will conceal an antivirus thus hindering it from detecting the presence of any other virus. Most of these attacks are carried by malicious file carrying the strain. This is often achieved by the virus by changing the date and time.

Worms: They are themselves a virus and are self-replicating. They are mostly spread to people to different systems via emails most of the time. They can do other malicious activities but their basic purpose is to spread across the internet. They are indeed one of the most prominent cyber security threats out there.

Droppers: A Dropper is not exactly a virus but it serves a purpose in making any cyber security threat more effective. Typically these droppers are untraceable by any anti-virus. They can connect to the internet and update the viruses that are already propagating in your system.

Ransomware: A virus named WannaCry became real notorious in the year 2017. It was a type of ransomware and a real deal in the list of cyber security threats. What this Malware did was to encrypt all the files in your system so that the victim is unable to access it. The attack will ask for a ransom to lose your system by providing you with a key to decrypt all the files.

Spyware: The purpose of these viruses is to spy over you. A Spyware will collect your information & habits and send it to a remote attacker. They are also capable of downloading other programs to your system. Spyware is generally installed in your system via adware or a freeware.

Adware: These can be automatically downloaded to your system while browsing the internet. Most of these viruses are propagated to your system via a pop-up window. Although, these are advertisements by the company to promote themselves but the attacker can use it for malicious purposes.

Phishing and Spear Phishing

These are emails that feel like they have been sent to you by a trusted source. The mail will be consisting of the page that masquerades as some trusted website such as Facebook, Gmail, Instagram etc. A lot of phishing might include social engineering where the attacker builds trust before the attack. For instance, you may have received messages such as you have won a prize of $10000 and then there would be a link which would ask you to log into your credentials(don’t go ahead with that).

On the other hand Spear phishing is another type where the target is not random. Before the attack, the attacker might do proper research about the target and then execute it. To protect against these types of attacks, implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) can be crucial. DMARC helps in authenticating the sender’s identity and ensures that emails from your domain are not forged. By setting up DMARC, along with SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), you can significantly reduce the chances of phishing and spear phishing attacks on your domain.

Password Attacks

There are a variety of ways of how these attacks are carried out. The most common is social engineering. Since most of the files are secured using a password this attack involves either guessing the password, sniffing it from a network, gaining access to a database, brute-force, or as I told you social engineering.

In brute-force, the attacker might start guessing the password one by one till the time he has a result in his hand. Another way a brute force attack is carried out is by using a dictionary. In these, the attack will try all the possible combinations in a dictionary.

DDOS(Distributed Denial of Service)

If you are a mobile app or a service that serves online, this is something that you should be truly aware of. These attacks have been carried out on really big organisations in the past and have caused damage of millions at times. This is one of the most legit cyber security threats out there.

Distributed Denial of service is an upgraded version of DOS attack. In this, the user gets spammed with requests from multiple sources and stopping the service from server overload. These attacks can be of various kinds such as:

TCP SYN Flood Attack: This is the most common type of DDOS attack. In this, the attacker sends an SYN Packet to the victim. These packets are capable of exploiting the buffer of the victim while he is initializing a handshake using TCP. The attack will send an enormous request to the queue to gain access but doesn’t respond to it. This leads to session timeout stopping the service from responding to any other request during that time.

Smurf Attack: The attack is carried out using IP Spoofing. The attack occurs on a broadcasted IP address using ICMP request from the attacker. In this, the attacker will spoof the IP of the target and send a request to all the IPs in the range. The response from the nearby IPs will be broadcasted back to the attacker. During this time there will be huge congestion in the network and since the attack is repeatable, it will completely stop the service from serving. 

Botnets: Imagine millions of computers under the control of the attacker. This attack is leveraged by using all those systems to perform a DDOS attack on the victim. This is the best example of a DDOS attack since the system sending request are located in different locations.

Ping of Death: The IP size of 65,535 bytes are not allowed. The attacker will distribute them into smaller packets. Once they are received by the system, these small packets are assembled by the system leading to a buffer overflow and other types of crashes.

Man in the Middle

This type of attack occurs when the attacker places him/herself between the victim and the server he/she is requesting. These attacks are carried out in the following ways:

IP Spoofing: In this, the attacker will spoof the ID and try to communicate with a host computer as a trusted source. Although, the attack isn’t complete unless the target accepts the request and responds to it.

Session Hijacking: In this, the attacker basically hijacks the session between the client and the server. In this, the attacker will sniff out the network place himself between the communication. This is generally achieved by using a sequence number. Once the attack is executed the client will still be communicating with the server but via the attacker. It is one of the among the most common cyber threats.

Replay: In this kind of attack, the attacker saves the messages that are sent by the victim. These messages are sent using a counterfeited timestamp while the attacker is impersonating the victim.

Drive-By Download

It is another way of spreading Malware to a website that has security issues. Most of these sites are vulnerable to the attack because they lack security updates. A Drive-By Download attack is carried out on HTTP protocol or PHP code. In this, the attacker might install a script into the code which carries a Malware. The attack is easily carried out while visiting a website, viewing an email or a pop-up. The attack is capable of infesting an application or a browser also.

Rogue Security Software

A lot of people may have seen this one. This is basically a fraud that is prevalent on the internet. In this, the victim might be made to believe that his system is infected with viruses. The user would then pay for a fake Malware removal tool which goes in the pocket of the attacker.

SQL Injection

This is another really common cyber security threats that happen with a PHP or an ASP.NET Script. It happens because SQL doesn’t distinguish between the data plane and the control plane. In this, an attacker might send a query from the client to a server. This will enable him/her the access to sensitive data which can be read/write/updated/modified by the attacker. 

Cross-Site Scripting(XSS) Attack

In this, the attacker would generally look for a website that is vulnerable to the attack. After that, the attacker would inject a payload of malicious javascript that can steal cookies. From there the website would send the infected script to the victim. Once the script has been executed, the victim will send the cookies to the attacker. The attacker will then extract the data from the cookies and use it against the victim to hijacking his/her session. 

Insider Threats

This one is prevalent in big organisations. A former employee, or any contractor who has had access to the network. At Least with big companies, most of them are having their own intranet within the organisation. This makes them identical to a DMZ. Although, with an insiders threat, breaching the security layer is possible.

In large organizations where the risk of insider threats looms, the implementation of physical security measures like perimeter security systems and access control is paramount. These systems play a pivotal role in fortifying organizational boundaries, acting as a proactive defense mechanism against potential breaches by former employees or contractors with prior network access.

AI Powered Attacks

This is the latest threat which the victim may have to bear with. In an AI powered attack, a concept is known as Machine Learning is used. This concept is generally used to train codes to run on their own. The concept uses a reward-based system where the machine goes through the iteration of use cases until the ultimate goal is met. It’s like trying all the paths to the destination to the point where you finally reach your goal. The concept can be used to carry out different cyber security threats such as identity theft, cracking the password, DOS attack, and many different types of attacks.

Reason for Cyber Security breaches to Mobile Apps and Prevention

Insecure Design: App development is tricky business and not everyone is capable of providing a secure application. Most of the attacks that occur on a website or an app are because the design is vulnerable. A lot of people prefer functionality over safety. Although, with so many financial payment gateways in an application, one should address the security aspect of the application seriously.

Prevention: Firstly, the application or the website should be developed in a manner that it is attack proof. Secondly, one can hire a security agency who might try to infiltrate the service by throwing a variety of attacks. Doing so will expose the vulnerabilities of the website and hence hacking it would become reasonably difficult.

Device Management: A lot of businesses might think of making themselves more secure although what if the issue is with smartphones, the customers are using. To protect the application from these, Encryption is the only method. On one hand, we have Apple which is actually known to be quite secure. They use an advanced 256-bit encryption system to protect different sections of files, databases, and other types of data. Also, they have the power to block any user from using an app.

Although, things get a little tricky with Android since they don’t come with this kind of support. Also, the devices are being manufactured by different smartphone vendors, therefore, making a unified security system difficult. This is the sole reason why Android is relatively easy to hack.

Prevention: The only way to prevent the systems from getting breached is to use mobile device management(MDM). One can also use EMM(Enterprise Mobile Management). There are multiple services that provide such an infrastructure. Although, the best way and the cheapest way of doing so is Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Protocol. Also, with android devices, it is recommended to use Android for Work(A4W). 

App Wrapping: App Wrapping is an important aspect in terms of avoiding any sort of security breach. It is a fundamental step that should be taken to secure any application. 

Prevention: If you are using a Mobile Device Management then you won’t have to deal with this security flaw.

Strong User Authentication: The first question that anyone gets while he/she reaches a website or app is “Who are you?”. By this, I mean to address authentication. If the user is not in the system then he/she won’t be allowed. Although, if the authentication isn’t strong enough then an attacker might breach your system. 

Prevention: To prevent it, one can employ two-factor authentication or maybe multi-factor authentication. It will include all aspects of the user such as privacy, Session Management, identity, and security features of User’s device. 

Hardening the OS: The one thing that Android truly lags in because of its open-source nature is that it is not difficult to breach. From day 1, Apple has done a phenomenal job of hardening their OS. This is not an issue but the fix itself. If the operating system of the users in your organisation is not secure then the company might be vulnerable to attacks.

Prevention: As we know that Apple is already great in terms of Security, therefore, we will be talking about Android. There are a variety of categories of security that can be checked. These categories are Basic Security, Authentication, Browser Security, Network Security, and additional security. 

There are a variety of factors that needs to be checked to make sure the devices are safe such as updated OS, avoiding installation of third-party apps, auto-lock timeout, forget wifi etc. In case if you wish to know about these factors in detail then click on the link here.

App Security to APIs: An API is a base at which most of the modern-day app companies are standing. They give you additional functionalities that make your app company’s application and website way more workable. Although, little did a lot of entrepreneurs know that they are quite vulnerable to attacks. There are a variety of attacks that can be carried out on APIs such as Reverse Engineering, Spoofing, Man in the middle, Session Replays, and Social Engineering. 

Prevention: Since a lot of communication is carried out using an API, therefore, it can be secured using 256-bit SSL encryption. Also, it is essential to secure the origin as well as the device. 

Conclusion

Getting a system hacked is inevitable although by taking proper measures it is possible to handle them well. If there is an attack on your system then sitting there won’t solve the problem. Knowing the problem and getting to the bottom of it might help you figure out what went wrong. A lot of app companies, especially small and medium-sized often stays ignorant to cyber security threats. Although in this pool of connectivity everyone is vulnerable, the only difference is some dive in with proper gear for security while some just choose to keep a blind eye and get everything messed up.

By this article, we have tried to educate our community of app companies about the possible cyber security threats out there. It is at times impossible to save yourself but with a contingency plan, a lot of things can be handled well. In case if you wish to read about Mobile App Security Best Practices for App Developers then click on the link provided. We are an app development company with a decent portfolio. We offer best in class prices to our customers and develop great quality apps for them. In case, if you wish to contact us for app creation purposes or any consultation then you can mail us at sales@agicent.com .We hope this article may have been of some help to you. Also, thank you for reading it until the end. #HappyReading !!!

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Mobile app security best practices are much different than website security practices, as in the former the attack surface for hackers is quite large. Any minor security flaw from the operating system to the network level can give access to a hacker into user’s phone, if not the server side of the app. So, it is essential to perform regressive security testing before delivering or publishing any app and save users against hackers and cyber crimes.

As we are in the apps development business for quite a long time now, we have to keep ourselves updated on minor to major app security threats and their solutions, and also follow mobile app security best practices religiously and keep doing the backup and updates of the App data. Every mobile app developer at Agicent keeps a mobile app security checklist, and ensures that the standards are being met before we make anything live.

Let us now discuss some of the best mobile app security best practices that our mobile app developers follow religiously:

1. Encrypt the source code

Mobile apps can be easily tampered by hackers to inject malicious code into the app source code which can leak device and user data. To avoid this potential threat, we highly recommend encrypting the app source code with AES or DEC algorithms, so that, it can’t be accessed by anyone else. Code obfuscation and minification are some other measures that you can try as good security layers.

2. Ensure User data security

 An hacker can go to any extent to trespass the security checks and steal the user data. Therefore, developers should take extra preventive steps to make sure that there the user data is well secured at both server and client ends.

The best way for developers to keep user data secured is to encrypt every single user file stored on the phone. Encryption ensures that hackers will not understand the stolen data as it will appear gibberish to them. However, data encryption alone can’t make your app pretty secure and, that is where our next security tip will help you.

3. Use the latest Cryptography techniques

Old cryptographic algorithms like SHA1 and MD5 are not enough to tackle modern day attacks anyone and that is the reason that it is considered a good practice for developers to adhere to the latest techniques like 256-bit AES encryption and SHA-256 for better mobile app security.

4. Minimize Storage of Sensitive Data

 Another smart way to secure user data is not to actually store the sensitive data on the device in the first place. Avoid storing credit card numbers and personal user info inside apps, and let this be done by the payment gateway provider only since they already have big security layers at their end to prevent any hack.

5. Secure app connections at the back end

Securing app connections at the backend prevents unauthorized access to the app and its server side. It becomes more important when there is communication app or when you transfer passwords, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive info from the app to servers or vice versa. Usually, unsecured network connections are targeted by hackers to do a “Man in the middle” attack and steal data flowing over the network.

Developers should use secure transport layer protocols like TLS, SSL, and HTTPS to make the app communicate with the server. In addition to that, you can also take help from Network Analysts to penetrate your network and identify major security errors and fix them.

6. Plan API security strategy

APIs are the core of mobile applications and makes sure the apps are running with dynamic data exchange with the servers. Hackers can even get into servers and corrupt or alter your APIs to acquire data illegally. So, you need to have a solid API security strategy in place. Apply authentication and authorization rigorously and separate out API implementation and security into different levels.

7. Integrate with Mobile Device Management

In case of enterprise apps, the data becomes much more sensitive and in such scenarios Mobile Device Management software can help. This corporate MDM sites are especially designed to help Network Admins to secure and monitor employee’s devices. Most companies with “Bring Your Own Device” policy are following this technique to stay protected from hackers.

Let us, in the same breath, also discuss some practices that Mobile App users should follow to secure their apps, info, and devices. Some basic Mobile app security best practices for users are as follows:

8. Don’t use jailbroken or rooted devices

When you jailbreak an iPhone, or root an Android device, it removes most of the important underlying security components of the mobile operating system which makes your device vulnerable towards hacking attacks.

9. Keep applications updated

App updates bring in more features and security fixes too. So, you must always use the updated version of the apps to stay hack-proof.

10. Keep mobile OS updated

Just like app updates, OS updates also resolves the security bugs in the previous version. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the mobile OS updated.

11. Install apps only from legitimate app stores

One of the best ways to stay secure is to install apps only from the official or legitimate app stores only. So, if you have an Android device, then Google Play is the best option and iTunes (App Store) for iPhone users.

We shall keep this article updated with any further security tips as we come across, or might write a new article on the same topic with new list of best mobile app security practices. We want the web and mobile space to be free of hacking threats so that all kind of users including seniors or non-tech people can enjoy their mobile apps to the fullest, so feel free to send us more tips and tricks that we missed, and we shall publish those on our blogs with credits to you.

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