Episodes

  • Smart Home Security: Navigating IoT Risks with Advanced Mobile App Protection

    Smart Home Security: Navigating IoT Risks with Advanced Mobile App Protection
    Jul 14 2025
    In this episode, we dive deep into the pressing concerns of Internet of Things (IoT) security, especially within our increasingly connected smart homes. From smart refrigerators to water shut-off valves, these devices offer immense convenience but also present tempting targets for cybercriminals. We'll explore the array of vulnerabilities, real-world attack statistics, and the innovative solutions emerging to protect our digital and physical spaces.Key Discussion Points:The Alarming State of IoT Security:A shocking 57% of IoT devices are vulnerable to medium- or high-severity attacks, with 70% having serious security vulnerabilities overall.A staggering 98% of IoT device traffic is unencrypted, and 43% of manufacturers don't even encrypt data during transmission, leaving sensitive information exposed. This is often due to cost-saving measures or limited processing power in basic device chips.The volume of threats is immense, with 1.5 billion IoT attacks detected in just the first half of 2021. Devices can be targeted within 5 minutes of connecting to the internet, as bots constantly scan for new exploits.IoT devices are a prime attack vector, accounting for 41% of attacks on enterprises in 2020 and comprising 33% of infected devices in botnets like Mirai. The infamous Mirai botnet, which shut down major internet services in 2016, infected over 25 million IoT devices by exploiting weak or default credentials, turning common items like printers and baby monitors into attack armies.Smart home attacks rose by 600% in a single year, highlighting the escalating risk to everyday gadgets.Many organizations face significant challenges, with 72% struggling to discover and classify all IoT devices on their networks, and 67% having limited or no visibility into their IoT environments.A critical issue is the widespread use of weak or default passwords, responsible for 91% of IoT data breaches, alongside the concerning fact that 40% of IoT devices no longer receive vendor security updates, leaving them vulnerable.Real-world incidents, such as cyberattacks on municipal water infrastructure, serve as a stark warning, demonstrating that compromised water control systems can have severe physical consequences, including interference with water composition or service disruption.The Smart Home Ecosystem: A "Toxic Combination" of Apps and APIs:Smart homes are controlled through a complex web of mobile apps and APIs, connecting everything from smart ovens to security cameras.This creates a "toxic combination": mobile apps can be cloned, tampered with, or run on compromised devices, while APIs can be reverse-engineered and invoked by bots or fake clients. Attackers can easily automate abuse once app-to-API traffic is understood.Hackers exploit common issues like lack of app attestation, repackaged or tampered apps, no detection of rooted/jailbroken devices, bypass of obfuscation, API keys hardcoded in the app, and static TLS certificate pins.Threats extend beyond simple data breaches to more severe outcomes like device hijacking, Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks, ransomware, and botnet creation, allowing malicious actors to manipulate physical devices or launch large-scale attacks.Even smart water shutoff systems like Phyn, Moen Flo, and Flo-Logic, while protecting against water damage, introduce data privacy implications (e.g., detailed water usage patterns revealing intimate household routines) and the risk of unauthorized remote control by malicious actors who could repeatedly toggle the water supply, causing disruption or damage. Moen's privacy statement explicitly notes its business model includes "monetizing data".Building a Secure Foundation: Solutions and Best Practices:Adapting OAuth2 for IoT: The OAuth2 open authorization standard, popular on the web, is being adapted to help secure access to IoT devices. This involves the authorization grant flow where a client obtains an access token to delegate access to server resources. Modifications are necessary for constrained IoT environments, such as dynamically securing the channel between a client and resource server (e.g., Alice's phone and a door lock) by using a possession key shared via the authorization server. Another example is a medical device scenario where the authorization server encrypts the possession key into the access token claims using a pre-provisioned key pair.Beyond Static Secrets: A more secure approach involves removing static client secrets from mobile apps and leveraging remote attestation services. A dynamic attestation service can verify an app's authenticity at runtime, returning an authenticating, time-limited client integrity token.Zero Trust Security Model: Smart home platforms should adopt a Zero Trust security model, which inherently trusts nothing by default. Instead, each and every API request must cryptographically prove it originates from a legitimate, unmodified mobile app at runtime. This involves per-request attestation using ...
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    14 mins
  • Unlocking Zero Trust for Mobile Apps: Bridging the Security Gap

    Unlocking Zero Trust for Mobile Apps: Bridging the Security Gap
    Jul 11 2025
    In this insightful episode of "Upwardly Mobile," we look into the critical importance of extending Zero Trust principles to consumer-facing mobile applications. Despite the widespread adoption of the "never trust, always verify" security model across enterprises, mobile apps often remain a significant blind spot, operating in uncontrolled and untrusted environments. This oversight exposes organizations to sophisticated attacks, directly impacting customer trust, regulatory compliance, and revenue.Why is mobile the weakest link in today's Zero Trust architecture and how modern threats like silent escalation, runtime tampering, and reverse engineering specifically target the post-installation, runtime environment of mobile apps. With over 33 million mobile cyberattacks recorded globally in 2024, the urgency to act is clear.Learn about the strategic roadmap for closing this mobile security gap by embedding Zero Trust at the app runtime layer. We discuss how established frameworks such as NIST SP 800-207, the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, OWASP MASVS, and the MITRE ATT&CK Mobile Matrix can be adapted to secure mobile applications, focusing on continuous monitoring, verification, and protection.Key takeaways include:• The "Never Trust, Always Verify" Principle for Mobile: Every interaction, from the mobile app to backend APIs, must adhere to strict verification protocols, treating all mobile devices as potentially untrusted.• The Criticality of Runtime Protection: Traditional pre-deployment checks are insufficient as attackers manipulate apps after installation. Continuous monitoring of app integrity and behavior is essential.• Key Components for Mobile Zero Trust: This includes strong Authentication and Authorization (including MFA), Mobile App Attestation to verify app and device integrity, robust API Security, and Secure Communication (e.g., TLS with certificate pinning).• Dynamic Secrets Management: Avoid hardcoding secrets. Instead, manage and deliver them dynamically from the cloud, ensuring sensitive data is never exposed client-side.• Operationalizing Zero Trust Frameworks: Implementing a runtime-centric approach where security decisions are made inside the app, feeding app-level insights into enterprise security operations.• The Business Impact: Proactive mobile app protection reduces breach risks, streamlines compliance (PSD2, GDPR, HIPAA), accelerates secure product delivery, and builds user trust, demonstrating measurable ROI.Sponsored by Approov: Approov provides a comprehensive solution for implementing Zero Trust security in mobile applications and their APIs. Their features include Positive App Authentication, Man-in-the-Middle Attack Protection, Dynamic Secrets Management, and Comprehensive Environment Checks to detect compromised devices and malicious instrumentation. Approov ensures that every call to an API from the mobile app is from a genuine, unmodified app running in a safe environment, with policies updated in real-time.Relevant Links & Resources:• Approov Mobile Security Knowledge Base: Approov Mobile Security Knowledge Base• How to Implement Zero Trust for Mobile Apps (Approov): How to Implement Zero Trust for Mobile Apps• Why Is Zero Trust Not Systematically Applied to Mobile App Security? (Approov): Why is Zero Trust Not Systematically Applied to Mobile App Security?• Promon SHIELD® for Mobile & More: Products• A guide to Zero Trust for your mobile apps (Promon): Bringing Zero Trust to mobile applications• OWASP Zero Trust Architecture Cheat Sheet: OWASP Zero Trust Architecture Cheat Sheet• OWASP Mobile App Security Verification Standard (MASVS): What is the OWASP MASVS?• Promon Mobile App Security Library: All Resources--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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    12 mins
  • Qantas Under Siege: Unpacking the Third-Party Data Breach & Scattered Spider's Threat

    Qantas Under Siege: Unpacking the Third-Party Data Breach & Scattered Spider's Threat
    Jul 7 2025
    Qantas Under Siege: Unpacking the Third-Party Data Breach & Scattered Spider's ThreatIn this episode of "Upwardly Mobile," we dive deep into the recent cyberattack on Qantas, Australia’s leading airline, which confirmed on July 2, 2025, that it experienced a cyberattack on a third-party customer service platform in one of its call centers. This incident raised significant alarms, especially just before the busy July 4th travel season in the United States.Key Takeaways from the Breach:Significant Data Compromise: Qantas reported that approximately 6 million customers have service records in the affected platform, and a significant proportion of this data is believed to have been stolen.Stolen Information: The data confirmed to be compromised includes customers' names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers.Unaffected Data: Importantly, Qantas stated that credit card details, personal financial information, and passport details were not held in the affected system and thus were not compromised. Frequent flyer accounts themselves were also not compromised, with passwords, PIN numbers, or login details remaining secure.The Threat Actor: While Qantas has not officially confirmed the perpetrator, security professionals strongly suspect the ransomware group Scattered Spider (also known as 0ktapus, UNC3944, Scatter Swine, Starfraud, and Muddled Libra). This group is notorious for targeting global organizations, including recent attacks on Hawaiian Airlines and Canada’s WestJet Airlines.Scattered Spider's Tactics: Scattered Spider is known for its social engineering and identity-based attacks, often employing phishing, SIM swapping, MFA bombing, and help desk phone calls to gain access to employee credentials. They typically steal legitimate login credentials to access systems where critical security protections might not be enabled by default. The WestJet breach, for instance, involved exploiting a self-service password reset.Vulnerabilities Highlighted: The Qantas attack, alongside other recent aviation breaches, underscores systemic vulnerabilities in mobile apps and third-party supply chain systems, as well as a prevalent lack of social-engineering defenses and robust incident response protocols. This incident further emphasizes that third parties must adhere to the same stringent data protection standards as internal systems.Industry Recommendations & Solutions:Experts like Charles Carmakal, CTO at Mandiant Consulting, Google Cloud, advise global airline organizations to be on high alert for social-engineering attacks and to increase identity verification rigor for their help desks.Ted Miracco, CEO of Approov, stressed the need for the aviation industry to move beyond traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA) and adopt a comprehensive zero-trust approach to API security. Approov Mobile Security offers solutions for Positive App Authentication and API Security, safeguarding backend APIs from abuse and enabling the removal of hardcoded API keys and secrets from apps.Organizations are urged to gain complete visibility across their infrastructure, identity systems, and critical management services, focusing on securing self-service password reset platforms, help desks, and third-party identity vendors.Qantas's Response: Qantas detected unusual activity, took immediate steps to contain the system, and confirmed that all Qantas systems remain secure. They notified the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and the Australian Federal Police. However, the airline faced criticism for its public relations approach, as CEO Vanessa Hudson was on leave, and neither the acting CEO nor other executives made public appearances, relying instead on personalized emails to customers.Learn more about the incident from the articles that informed this episode:"Qantas confirms cyberattack on third-party call center app | SC Media""Qantas discloses cyberattack amid Scattered Spider aviation breaches""Qantas executives nowhere to be seen after data breach affecting up to 6 million customers - ABC News"Sponsor Shoutout: Our episode today is brought to you by Approov. As highlighted in this episode, securing backend APIs and mobile applications is paramount in today's threat landscape. Approov provides robust solutions for mobile app security and API protection, ensuring the authenticity of your apps and devices, and safeguarding your data against sophisticated attacks. Learn more about their comprehensive zero-trust approach to API security at approov.io.Keywords: Qantas cyberattack, data breach, Scattered Spider, aviation security, third-party risk, supply chain attack, social engineering, API security, mobile security, data privacy, frequent flyer data, cybersecurity, Qantas, zero-trust, identity verification, call center breach, corporate response.
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    13 mins
  • Fortify Your Phone: Android 16's Advanced Security Features

    Fortify Your Phone: Android 16's Advanced Security Features
    Jul 4 2025
    Fortify Your Phone: Android 16's Advanced Security FeaturesIn this episode, we'll explore two of the most impactful security features in Android 16 that you need to know about: Advanced Protection and Identity Check, along with other significant API security improvements.Key Features and Insights:Android 16's Focus on Security: Despite foundational work for future design and multitasking changes, Android 16's initial rollout emphasizes "significant security enhancements" designed to make a "meaningful difference" in data protection. Android 16 sets the stage for the platform's most dramatic reinvention in ages, and while some elements are part of a future update, this new software features a slew of significant security enhancements. The Android 16 Security Release Notes, published June 10, 2025, detail vulnerabilities addressed in this version. Devices with a security patch level of 2025-07-01 or later are protected against these issues. The Android security team actively monitors for abuse through Google Play Protect, which is enabled by default on devices with Google Mobile Services, and warns users about potentially harmful applications.Advanced Protection: This is a new, all-encompassing Android security "supermode" activated by a single switch within your system settings. On Google Pixel phones, it's an added section within the main Security & Privacy settings. Enabling Advanced Protection simplifies the process of activating a bundle of advisable Android security settings at once, rather than requiring you to find and enable them individually.Bundled Safeguards: Advanced Protection activates a suite of protections, including:Extra theft protection: Utilizes Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock, which were introduced previously, to automatically lock your device if it detects it's fallen into the wrong hands.Enhanced app protection: Ensures Android's Google Play Protect on-demand scanning system is in place, restricts app installations to official Play Store (and any other preloaded app stores), and incorporates Memory Tagging Extension, making it less likely for an app to corrupt your device's memory.Smarter web protection: Provides live scanning for browser-based threats, forces the more secure HTTPS encrypted web standard, and adds additional protections around Javascript processing within Chrome.Advanced calling and messaging protection: Offers real-time scanning and warnings about likely scams and spam within Google Messages, detects and warns about unsafe links in incoming texts, and includes spam detection, scam detection, and call screening systems for incoming calls in the Google Phone app.Heightened network protection: Actively rejects any less secure 2G-level network connections that may come along over time. This feature can also be individually activated to disable 2G connections.Future Updates: Google's goal is to keep Advanced Protection updated with all the latest Android security features over time, so once activated, you don't have to manually enable new options as they arrive. Confirmed upcoming features expected "later this year" include:Inactivity Reboot: Automatically restarts your device if it remains locked for 72 consecutive hours, re-encrypting all data to require a full password or pattern unlock.Intrusion Logging: Securely stores encrypted logs of sensitive system actions in the cloud, connected solely to your Google account, for investigating suspicious activity.USB Protection: Sets your phone's USB port to allow only charging by default, preventing unauthorized data transfers via physical connection.Disable Auto-Reconnect to Insecure Networks: Your phone will not automatically reconnect to networks that are not secure, even if you manually connected to them once.Identity Check: This feature, gaining prominence with Android 16, requires biometric authentication (e.g., fingerprint, face unlock) to access critical security settings or sensitive information like saved passwords, especially when your device is outside of a designated "trusted location". While you can set trusted locations where biometrics aren't required, for maximum security, it's recommended not to add any. The feature should be enabled by default but can be found by searching for "identity check" in your Settings app.Overall API Security Weaknesses: Android 16 introduces several enhancements that directly improve mobile API security.Intent Redirection Protection: Android 16 features stronger security against Intent redirection attacks, which are a common vulnerability where malicious applications can intercept or manipulate Intents. Developers are encouraged to test their Intent handling and should only opt out of these protections if it's absolutely necessary.Local Network Permission: For apps targeting Android 16 or newer, a new permission is required to access the local network. This enhances privacy and security by restricting unauthorized network access.More Granular Permissions: Android ...
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    15 mins
  • Independence Day: Cloudflare's Dual Defense for Mobile Apps & Original Content

    Independence Day: Cloudflare's Dual Defense for Mobile Apps & Original Content
    Jul 2 2025
    Independence Day: Cloudflare's Dual Defense for Web Mobile Apps & Original ContentWelcome to "Upwardly Mobile"! In this episode, we dive deep into Cloudflare's groundbreaking efforts to protect both mobile applications and original online content from the escalating challenge of AI bots and data scrapers.Key Topics Covered:Protecting Mobile Applications from AI Bots:Cloudflare's AI bot blocking features are fully capable of protecting mobile APIs.Their Bot Management system analyzes incoming traffic without differentiating between desktop and mobile user agents when scoring bot activity.Leveraging machine learning models, Cloudflare identifies and blocks various bot behaviors, including those targeting mobile apps. They have specifically developed and deployed a Mobile-Focused ML Model trained on mobile request data to improve accuracy and reduce false positives for mobile app traffic.Features like Super Bot Fight Mode offer a robust defense against various automated traffic, including mobile-based bots.For mobile apps primarily driven by APIs, Cloudflare's API Gateway offers enhanced protection.If you require very specific handling of different mobile user agents, premium support is available by upgrading to a Cloudflare Enterprise account with the Bot Management add-on.Safeguarding Original Content from AI Data Scrapers:Cloudflare has introduced a new permission-based setting that automatically blocks artificial intelligence companies from exploiting websites by collecting their digital data. This changes the rules of the internet, requiring bots to "go on the toll road" to get content.This initiative aims to protect original content on the internet, addressing concerns that AI companies freely using data without permission or payment could discourage and ultimately kill the incentives for content creation.Cloudflare, whose network of servers handles about 20% of internet traffic, has observed a sharp increase in AI data crawlers on the web.The company is developing a "Pay Per Crawl" system, which would give content creators the option to request payment from AI companies for utilizing their original content.Many content creators, publishers, authors, and news organizations have accused AI firms of using their material without permission and payment, leading to legal actions such as Reddit suing Anthropic and The New York Times suing OpenAI and Microsoft.Cloudflare argues that AI breaks the unwritten agreement between publishers and crawlers, as AI crawlers collect content to generate answers without sending visitors to the original source, thus depriving content creators of revenue.Cloudflare's CEO, Matthew Prince, is confident they can block AI companies from accessing content if they don't pay, asserting that their product will be worse as a result.This move is considered a "game-changer" for publishers by Roger Lynch, chief executive of Condé Nast.Revolutionizing Bot Authentication with Cryptography:Historically, Cloudflare relied on user agent headers and IP addresses to verify legitimate crawlers, but these methods are now considered broken or impractical due to easy spoofing, shared IP addresses, and the impracticality of managing individual secrets at scale.Cloudflare is proposing a better mechanism for legitimate agents and bots to declare who they are using well-established cryptography techniques, providing a clearer signal for site owners to decide what traffic to permit.Two primary proposals are being introduced: HTTP Message Signatures and request mTLS (mutual TLS).HTTP Message Signatures (RFC 9421) is a standard defining the cryptographic authentication of a request sender, allowing bots/agents to cryptographically sign requests originating from their service, proving their identity in a tamper-proof manner. OpenAI has already begun signing their Operator requests using this method. Cloudflare is prioritizing this approach as it relies on an adopted RFC and works at the HTTP layer, making adoption simpler.Request mTLS is another mechanism for mutual authentication via TLS certificates, though it has limitations, fewer implementations, and upgrading the TLS stack has proven more challenging.This authentication can be consumed by Cloudflare when acting as a reverse proxy or directly by site owners on their own infrastructure.These advancements will be integrated into Cloudflare's AI Audit and Bot Management products to provide better visibility into bots and agents willing to identify themselves.Relevant Links & Resources:Explore Cloudflare's solutions for AI bot protection for mobile apps, their new approach to safeguarding content from AI data scrapers, and innovative cryptographic bot verification mechanisms in their official documentation and blog posts.For cutting-edge mobile app security solutions, visit our sponsor: Approov Mobile Security Keywords: Cloudflare, AI bot protection, mobile apps, bot management, content creation, data scraping, AI crawlers, copyright, intellectual ...
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    16 mins
  • Unpacking the WestJet Cyberattack | Mobile API Security & Threats to Airlines

    Unpacking the WestJet Cyberattack | Mobile API Security & Threats to Airlines
    Jun 30 2025
    Unpacking the WestJet Cyberattack | Mobile App Security and Aviation ThreatsJoin us on "Upwardly Mobile" as we dissect the significant WestJet cyberattack, an incident that brought to light critical vulnerabilities in mobile application security and backend systems within the aviation sector. Episode Overview: The WestJet cyberattack, reported on June 14, 2025, caused disruptions to the airline's mobile application and select internal systems, though flight operations remained unaffected. This incident underscores an often-overlooked area of vulnerability where protections for user devices by companies like Apple and Google don't fully extend to how apps communicate with their servers.Key Discussion Points:The Attack Vector: The incident likely exploited weaknesses in backend APIs, a common tactic among experienced cybercriminals, similar to the Hawaiian Airlines attack. Preliminary evidence suggests the use of the known vulnerability CVE-2023-12345, which affects parameter handling in mobile application backends. Threat actors also potentially used targeted spear-phishing campaigns to compromise employee credentials, aligning with the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1566 – Phishing.Affected Systems: The attack directly impacted the WestJet Mobile App version 4.5.2 (the frontline consumer interface) and its accompanying API Backend version 1.8.9. Internal systems, including Oracle Database 19c (storing customer profiles and booking details) and Windows Server 2019 infrastructures, were also compromised.Adversary Tactics: Forensic analysis indicates advanced exploitation methods, potentially involving custom scripts for lateral movement (T1059 – Command and Scripting Interpreter) and remote access tools. The sophistication of techniques and the dual targeting of customer-facing and internal infrastructures suggest a well-planned campaign by an organized group with expertise in the aviation sector, possibly using advanced exploit frameworks like Cobalt Strike.Impact and Consequences: Beyond immediate service disruptions, the attack poses significant risks to customer confidence and operational continuity. There's a consequential risk of data exfiltration, intellectual property compromise, and potential fraudulent activities due to unauthorized access to sensitive internal information and customer profiles. The incident also elevates the risk profile for supply chain partners and third-party vendors.Recommendations for Enhanced Security: Immediate actions include urgent patch management for vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-12345, extending multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all sensitive internal systems, and revising incident response protocols. Organizations should also enhance email filtering, deploy advanced threat detection systems like CrowdStrike Falcon and Cisco Secure Endpoint, and implement network segmentation to contain lateral movements. Theodore Miracco, CEO of Approov Mobile Security, emphasizes the critical need to address these overlooked vulnerabilities.Relevant Links to Source Materials:WestJet Cyberattack Report: In-Depth Analysis of the WestJet Mobile App Breach and Internal System Vulnerabilities by Rescana: https://www.rescana.com/post/westjet-cyberattack-report-in-depth-analysis-of-the-westjet-mobile-app-breach-and-internal-system-vReuters Report on WestJet Incident: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/westjet-probes-cybersecurity-incident-affecting-app-internal-systems-2025-06-14/WestJet's Official Advisory: https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2025/advisory--cybersecurity-incident-MITRE ATT&CK Framework: https://attack.mitre.orgCrowdStrike: https://www.crowdstrike.comMandiant: https://www.mandiant.comApproov Mobile Security: www.approov.io Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Approov Mobile Security. Learn how they protect mobile apps and their APIs at: approov.io Keywords: WestJet, cyberattack, mobile app security, aviation security, API vulnerabilities, spear-phishing, data breach, cybersecurity, incident response, digital threat, airline security, MITRE ATT&CK, CVE-2023-12345, Oracle Database, Windows Server, network security, supply chain risk, critical infrastructure.
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    17 mins
  • Apple's EU App Store Overhaul | Fees, Fines, and the Fight for DMA Compliance

    Apple's EU App Store Overhaul | Fees, Fines, and the Fight for DMA Compliance
    Jun 28 2025
    Unpacking Apple's EU App Store Overhaul: Fees, Fines, and the Fight for DMA Compliance

    Join us on "Upwardly Mobile" as we dive deep into Apple's latest App Store changes in the European Union, a direct response to the stringent Digital Markets Act (DMA). Faced with a hefty €500 million (about $570 million) penalty from the EU for "anti-steering" practices, Apple has introduced a complex new fee structure that's shaking up the mobile app ecosystem. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
    • The New Tier System for Store Services Fees: Discover how Apple's new two-tier system impacts developers. Tier 1 offers basic App Store features for a 5 percent commission, while Tier 2 provides full access at a 13 percent commission. We'll discuss what features are missing from the cheaper tier, including automatic app updates and promotional tools.
    • Introducing the Core Technology Commission (CTC): Understand Apple's new 5 percent commission on outside purchases made in apps distributed on the App Store. This fee is set to transition from the previous Core Technology Fee (CTF) by January 1, 2026, becoming a "single business model" for EU developers and applying to digital goods and services sold across the App Store and alternative marketplaces. The EU has previously ruled that the CTF was not "necessary and proportionate".
    • The DMA's Impact and Anti-Steering Rules: We break down how the DMA forced Apple to allow developers more choices in app distribution and promotion, specifically ending prohibitions on "steering" users to cheaper alternatives outside the App Store. This comes after a US court order, stemming from the Epic Games lawsuit, also prevented Apple from taking commission on purchases made outside the App Store in the US.
    • The "Malicious Compliance" Debate: We explore the significant criticism Apple faces for its DMA compliance, with many, including Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney and Spotify, accusing them of "malicious compliance"—adhering to the letter but not the spirit of the law. Critics argue Apple's changes still create barriers to competition.
    • Apple's Defense and Ongoing Scrutiny: Despite the criticism and fines, Apple maintains it has taken significant steps to open its ecosystem and is appealing the EU's penalty. The European Commission is currently assessing these new changes to determine if they are fully compliant with the DMA.
    Don't miss this essential episode to understand the shifting landscape of app development and distribution in Europe!

    Reading & Resources:
    • Apple overhauls EU App Store rules following penalty (Link to The Verge article)
    • Apple reveals complex system of App Store fees to avoid EU fine of 500 million euro (Link to CNBC article)
    • Updates for apps in the European Union (Link to Apple Developer news)
    • Apple's DMA developer support page and Compliance Report (Link to Apple's official DMA info)
    • Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU and StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement Addendum for EU Apps (Links to Apple's legal terms)
    Sponsor Message: This episode of "Upwardly Mobile" is brought to you by Approov. In a world of evolving mobile threats, Approov provides advanced mobile app shielding and API protection to keep your apps and APIs secure from bots and malicious attacks. Ensure your mobile transactions are safe and sound. Learn more at www.approov.io.
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    16 mins
  • Why the Open App Markets Act Matters?

    Why the Open App Markets Act Matters?
    Jun 25 2025
    Why the Open App Markets Act MattersEpisode Notes:Join us on "Upwardly Mobile" as we delve into the critical issue of how Apple and Google's dominant control over the mobile app ecosystem is stifling innovation in mobile app security and potentially increasing long-term consumer cyber risk. While both companies, especially Apple, are currently seen as doing a "reasonable job" with cybersecurity within their closed environments, experts warn that this "monoculture protection" is not sustainable against evolving threats from nation-states, criminal groups, and AI.The Problem with App Store Monopolies: The core argument is that monopolistic behavior naturally suppresses innovation because there's little fear of competition. This has led to a situation where innovative mobile app security startups are struggling to achieve the growth and valuations seen in other cybersecurity sectors like cloud and API security, despite the central role mobile apps play in our daily lives. This concentration of security responsibility with just two companies puts all our "defensive eggs into one basket".A prime example is Google Mobile Services (GMS), which maintains a strong hold on Android mobile apps, making it difficult for external security vendors to compete effectively. The sources highlight that Apple and Google's solutions are specific to their closed ecosystems, lacking incentive for crucial cross-platform security initiatives.The Solution: The Open App Markets Act (OAMA) The bipartisan Open App Markets Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Richard Blumenthal, Mike Lee, Amy Klobuchar, and Dick Durbin to address these concerns. This landmark legislation aims to set fair, clear, and enforceable rules to promote competition and strengthen consumer protections within the app market by curtailing Apple and Google's "gatekeeper control".Key Provisions of OAMA:Protecting Developer Rights: Developers would be empowered to inform consumers about lower prices and offer competitive pricing outside the app stores, without fear of penalty from Apple or Google.Enabling Sideloading & Third-Party App Stores: The Act would make it easier for users to install apps from sources other than the official app stores, and to choose third-party app stores as their default.Promoting Alternative Payment Systems: It seeks to open the market to alternative in-app payment systems, reducing the reliance on Apple and Google's own payment processors and their significant commission fees (often 15-30%).Preventing Self-Preferencing: It would stop app store owners from "unreasonably" favoring their own apps in search results or using private data from third-party apps to develop competing products.Granting Consumer Control: Users would gain greater control over their devices, including the ability to choose third-party apps as defaults and uninstall preinstalled apps.Security & Privacy Safeguards: The bill includes provisions allowing app stores to take actions "necessary to achieve user privacy, security, or digital safety," provided these actions are applied consistently and are narrowly tailored.Support & Criticisms: The Open App Markets Act has garnered strong support from numerous technology and consumer groups, including Spotify, Epic Games, the American Economic Liberties Project, and the Coalition for App Fairness, all advocating for a fairer, more competitive marketplace. They argue it will lead to lower prices, more innovation, and increased consumer choice.However, Apple and Google are predictably opposed, raising concerns about potential security risks associated with opening up their platforms to sideloading and alternative app stores. There are also ongoing debates about whether the bill could inadvertently affect content moderation by potentially penalizing companies for exercising editorial judgment.Recommendations for Moving Forward: Beyond legislation, the authors of "Apple and Google are Suppressing Innovation in Mobile App Security" offer concrete recommendations for Apple and Google to foster a healthier mobile app security ecosystem:Facilitate Third-Party Security Vendors: Open their ecosystems to third-party mobile app security solutions through certification and partnership models.Incentivize Developers: Financially reward developers who invest in robust security measures, potentially through reduced commission rates.Adopt Open Standards: Transition to widely recognized open standards for mobile app security evaluation, such as those developed by OWASP, and extend this to mobile payment systems.These steps are crucial to ensure that the rapid evolution of cyber threats is met with equally rapid and diverse innovation, protecting consumers and society at large from future mobile app breaches.Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Approov. Learn more about their cutting-edge mobile app and API shielding security solutions at www.approov.io.Keywords: Mobile app security, Apple App Store, Google Play Store, ...
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    16 mins