75 per cent of mobile apps will fail security tests in 2015 - Gartner

Analyst warns of security risks from employees installing apps on BYOD mobile devices

More than three quarters of mobile applications for smartphones and tablets will fail basic security tests next year, putting the enterprise at risk from hackers, analysts at Gartner have suggested.

The claim comes as more organisations are welcoming the adoption of BYOD, enabling employees to use their own laptops, smartphones, tablets and, in some cases, wearable technology for enterprise use.

However, while use of such devices may have improved efficiency of the enterprise, it also comes with risks as applications, whether downloaded from Apple's iTunes store or the Google Play store, often require access data stored on mobile devices.

Therefore, if the security of the application is compromised by hackers, enterprise data stored on smartphone or tablets could fall into the hands of attackers.

It's a worrying concept, especially when Gartner suggest that many applications downloaded to mobile devices have little or no security assurances, making them vulnerable to security breaches.

"Enterprises that embrace mobile computing and BYOD strategies are vulnerable to security breaches, unless they adopt methods and technologies for mobile application security testing and risk assurance," said Dionisio Zumerle, principal research analyst at Gartner, who argued that most enterprises are "inexperienced in mobile application security".

He continued: "Even when application security testing is undertaken, it is often done casually by developers who are mostly concerned with the functionality of applications, not their security."

Zumerle added that organisations and mobile device users should pay more attention to application security, testing the apps, if necessary, to ensure data stored on them is safe.

"App stores are filled with applications that mostly prove their advertised usefulness. Nevertheless, enterprises and individuals should not use them without paying attention to their security," he said.

"They should download and use only those applications that have successfully passed security tests conducted by specialised application security testing vendors," advised Zumerle.

It isn't only mobile devices that are vulnerable to attack, with a recent report by Beecham Research suggesting that connected devices forming the so-called Internet of Things is also a major cause for security concern.