Application security is among the most important elements for ensuring secure business operations. Since applications are hooked to the cloud and mostly used on many different networks, they have greater exposition, offering them access to potential security vulnerabilities, like man-in-the-middle attacks.
According to a survey by Accenture, the number of cyberattacks increased in 2021, from 206 to 270 per organisation. Although user’s data is supposed to be protected by SSL/TLS certificates, hackers can intercept app-server connections and use them to pretend to be legitimate certificates.
DevSecOps teams must now reduce the risk by adding a layer of security, such as certificate pinning for the apps. By doing this, it will be ensured that hackers are unable to intercept SSL certificates and obtain login credentials, financial information, etc.
However, what is certificate pinning, how does it operate, what are the risks involved, and how can it be used with code security? Discover more below.
Certificate Pinning: What Is It?
Certificate pinning is the additional layer of security over an app’s SSL/TLS certificate. It entails using a root certificate as the anchor for the SSL certificate rather than the device’s default trust store.
A root certificate is essentially a public key, or guarantee, signed and issued by a trusted Certificate Authority to create confidence in an SSL certificate. This guarantees that the app will only accept the certificate that it has been specifically configured to trust. Consequently, it becomes more difficult for an attacker to forge a phoney SSL/TLS certificate.
How it works?
The trustworthy CA’s name, location, digital signature, and public key are all included in the root certificate. A browser verifies the SSL certificate details against the pinned root certificate when it connects to a website.
A safe and encrypted communication channel is created between the browser and the server if the details match. The browser will not connect and alert the user to a possible attack if the data does not compare.
This guarantees that the browser will reject the false SSL certificate, preventing an attacker from issuing one even if they manage to intercept the transmission.
Which Circumstances Make Certificate Pinning Useful?
Pinning an SSL certificate is useful in many scenarios when the security of the apps may get compromised.
To Stop MITM Attacks
Pinpointing safeguards against MITM attacks by guaranteeing that the apps accept just a particular certificate. In the unlikely event that a hacker can intercept communication, they will not be able to access HTTPS traffic flowing between a browser and a server.
To Transmit Private Information
Any app that transfers sensitive data, particularly those related to e-commerce, finance, and third parties, has the potential to be compromised in the case of a cyberattack. However, pinning guarantees that the data is sent across a secure channel.
To Keep Internal Networks Safe
Pinning gives SSL certificates an additional degree of protection in enterprises where the need for trusted internal networks is critical. This guarantees that the communication can only be secured by authorised internal certificates.
To Build Credibility for Untrusted Networks
Pinning guarantees that, even in the event of a network intrusion, the client (browser) intercepts the expected certificates on public hotspots, which are untrusted networks.
What Are Certificate Pinning’s Restrictions and How Can They Be Reduced?
There are a few things to keep in mind and precautions you may take to reduce any negative effects while deploying certificate pinning for apps:
Update the Root Certificate
Regular updates are needed for root certificates. If not, they result in error warnings, broken links, or decreased traffic. They must be kept current to guarantee their validity. A fast-updating system for certificates that are revoked or experience a security breach should also be in place.
Minimise Restraints
An SSL/TLS certificate’s pinning restricts its flexibility because only a particular CA can issue it. Certificate pinning must enable root certificate switching, when necessary, to reduce this disadvantage.
Reducing False Positives
This could cause the browser to reject a valid SSL certificate using pinning to alert the user of a possible attack. When this happens, it is referred to as a false positive. There should be certificate pinning checking and validation before its usage for it to reduce false positives. Moreover, in case a false positive happens, there should be sufficient error messaging to consumers.
Use Several Root Certificates
Every browser does not support cert pinning. A special system that permits support for multiple root certificates must be in place to lessen this restriction. Furthermore, the system needs to allow non-supportive browsers to visit web pages.
How Can Code Security and Certificate Pinning Be Used in DevSecOps?
DevSecOps teams may enhance the security of their apps and respond to incidents more quickly by implementing certificate pinning, a crucial security method. To stop security flaws, it can be combined with a pre-emptive code security tool such as DashO.
This allows the creators the ability to obfuscate in various ways, rendering multilayer security unhackable for attackers. In the app development process, pinning can help prevent security vulnerabilities in code security as follows:
Reduce the Attack Surface
Developers can prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks by limiting the trust of SSL certificates to a subset of trusted root certificates. This reduces the attack surface of apps. Additionally, pinning with code security allows programs to recognise when tampering with certificates occurs and to break the connection if the certificates are invalid.
Enhanced Reaction to Events
Pinpointing, when combined with a code analysis programme such as JS Defender, facilitates faster issue response. It helps the DevSecOps teams to quickly identify and address the root cause of a code issue in the case of a security breach.
Integrate with CI/CD Pipelines
CI/CD deployment pipelines can incorporate certificate pinning. Its implementation facilitates speedy code validation and certificate authenticity checks, particularly during the testing stage of the app development process.
By doing this, the code is made more safe and less susceptible to security flaws like hard-coded certificates and inadequate certificate validation.
Conclusion
Mobile apps are becoming a more and more popular target for malicious assaults.
A recent study found that 16% of Android apps had no way to prevent cyber hacking, making most Android apps vulnerable to this issue.
Hackers can quickly obtain login credentials and financial information by taking advantage of coding security. However, certificate pinning which enhances app security during development with an additional layer of encryption is a crucial component of DevSecOps. It makes sure the apps need further verification in addition to depending on the device’s trust store.
Pinning offers unbeatable code security when combined with Quixxi.
Why?
Quixxi uses static SSL Pinning and additionally validates the integrity of the files present inside the apk/aab. Quixxi Verifies the application for tampering, stops the execution of the application if it is tampered.
