logoalt Hacker News

xyzzy123 • today at 2:09 PM • 1 reply • view on HN

> Over and over again you have to contend with bullshit like 120MB APKs full of obfuscated code, root detection, custom firmware detection, "non-mainstream device" detection, VPN detection, and even more obscure spyware-flavored functionality.

When you work in a regulated industry, you have to get pentests. The pentesters come with a list of "recommended best practices" to harden / secure your apps, which always include all of the user hostile bullshit you mentioned.

It's a finding if they're not implemented. Even if the dev team doesn't want to implement these things they get forced to by policy and the overall process :/

The only way this can NOT happen is if someone quite senior signs off on the risk, who would have to get in a big fight with the cyber/policy teams for basically no benefit to themselves. They would also have to be unusually technical and pro freedom to even understand the issues, which is not the typical personality profile of the kind of executive who ends up with overall risk authority for a bank's mobile app.


Replies

gwbas1c • today at 2:49 PM

I once was dragged into a meeting after a security audit where the audit flagged in red that we weren't encrypting a SQLite database.

I basically said it was bullshit, pointed out that this was not industry best practice, and that we weren't storing any sensitive information.

The meeting ended quickly (and it became clear that the auditors were full of hot air.)

➕ show 1 reply