By Byron V. Acohido

Two-plus decades of enduring wave after wave of mobile app malware and fraud has finally taken its toll on users.

Now comes a global survey from Appdome and OWASP that reveals the vast majority of consumers are fed up.

I recently visited with Appdome CEO Tom Tovar to discuss clear signals that consumers are now insisting upon mobile apps that are private and secure, as well as convenient. For a full drill down, please give the accompanying podcast a listen.

As Black Hat USA 2024 gets ready to open next week in Las Vegas, this brings pressure to bear upon app developers – and on the top consumer brands — to do much better.

“Consumers are becoming highly sophisticated in their demands,” Tovar told me.  “The fear that mobile app providers don’t care about their protection is now equivalent to the fear of the attackers themselves.”

Historically, developers and brands have prioritized innovation and competition over security. Yet consumers are now demanding much improved security – and mobile app providers would do well to make the adjustment.

Appdome’s poll reveals that 74 percent of consumers would abandon an app if they felt unprotected, while 95 percent would advocate for brands that provide strong security measures.

Consumers are demanding much better mobile app security; and they’re also willing to reward brands that deliver it. The good news is that technology is advancing, as well. Appdome, for instance, next week plans to unveil a new tool that leverages GenAI to help developers and brands embed security deeply and flexibly in apps.

Will these developments soon start to temper mobile app badness? I’ll keep watch and keep reporting.

Acohido

Pulitzer Prize-winning business journalist Byron V. Acohido is dedicated to fostering public awareness about how to make the Internet as private and secure as it ought to be.

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(LW provides consulting services to the vendors we cover.)

August 1st, 2024