SecurityBrief New Zealand - Technology news for CISOs & cybersecurity decision-makers
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Appdome's real-time defense against mobile app social engineering attacks
Thu, 21st Mar 2024

Appdome, the trusted provider of mobile app defense, is heralding a significant shift in the cybersecurity landscape with the imminent release of the world's first real-time defense against social engineering attacks on mobile apps. Unleashing a breakthrough innovation in the realm of cybersecurity, Appdome will revolutionise the protection of mobile apps by enabling owners and brands to detect and counteract these attacks as they occur, fundamentally disrupting the cycle of harmful tactics such as vishing, smishing, and more.

Appdome's latest suite of defenses includes features such as voice phishing (vishing) detection, remote desktop control, FaceID bypass, fake applications and SIM swapping alerts for both Android and iOS apps, extending robust protection to mobile app users and safeguarding the brand's reputation. The application's real-time responsive mechanism prevents any attack before it's too late, issuing warnings, offering assistance, or restricting app features to protect its users and minimising regulatory risks by enhancing cyber resilience.

Highlighting the importance of this development, Katie Norton, Research Manager of DevSecOps at IDC, said: "Social engineering attacks tend to go where users are most vulnerable and, right now, that includes the mobile app and device". She noted the severe consequences faced by mobile brands and users when such attacks are successful, establishing the need for solutions that can detect and prevent such attacks.

Tom Tovar, co-creator and CEO of Appdome, underlined the increasing importance of real-time continuous protection in the face of rapidly escalating AI-powered attacks. He said Appdome's technology "gives brands the ability to detect each attack, maintain their voice and break the cycle of manipulation sitting at the centre of social engineering attacks".

The new Social Engineering Prevention service by Appdome goes further in deterring attacks by detecting and mitigating threats in real time. It offers defenses against a wide array of common strategies, including Vishing Fraud, Remote Desktop Control, Biometric (FaceID) Bypass, SIM Swapping, Admin-SU Profiles, and Trojan Apps, observed in social engineering attacks.

Moreover, these provisions can be merged with any of Appdome's 300+ mobile app security features, providing an integrated defense system. Chris Roeckl, Chief Product Officer at Appdome, emphasised the importance of breaking the cycle of social engineering attacks. "First, we stop the technical means of application or device control the attackers use, and second we provide telemetry and intelligence to the mobile app, giving the mobile brand power to intervene when a threat is present", said Roeckl.

In the context of today's digital landscape, where consumer privacy, safety, and cybersecurity are paramount, Appdome's pioneering real-time defense against social engineering attacks serves as a powerful tool. By enabling brands to detect, disrupt and deter cyber threats in real time, it helps uphold and strengthen trust, ensuring the ongoing growth and vitality of the mobile app economy.