Appthority Exposes Security and Privacy Risks Behind Top 400 Mobile Apps

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Appthority, the leader in Mobile App Risk Management, today announced the release of their Winter 2014 App Reputation Report. The new report analyzes the behaviors of the top 400 iOS and Android apps to assess the state of mobile app security and identify trends impacting consumers and enterprises with the growth of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and Mobile First movements.

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The Appthority Mobile App Risk Management Service analyzed the most recent list of the top 400 apps provided by Apple and Google, and the company compared the findings to data from the Appthority Summer 2013 report to provide broader insight into the evolution of the app economy. The new report examines the app behaviors of the top 100 free and paid iOS and Android apps.

"Mobile apps brings both enormous opportunity and enormous risk to enterprises and their employees," said Domingo Guerra, president and co-founder, Appthority. "Companies know they must empower their workforce to leverage mobility while also protecting sensitive and valuable corporate data. Since BYOD quickly turned into Bring Your Own Apps, it is essential for IT and security administrators to have full visibility and control over mobile apps that present potential security and privacy risks."

Highlights from the Appthority Winter 2014 App Reputation Report include:  

• Overall, iOS apps (91%) exhibit more risky behaviors than Android apps (83%)
• 95% of the top 200 free iOS and Android apps exhibit at least one risky behavior
  • 70% allow location tracking
  • 69% allow access to social networks
  • 56% identify users
  • 53% are integrated with ad networks
  • 51% allow in-app purchasing
  • 31% enable address books and contact lists to be read
• 4% of the top 200 paid iOS and Android apps read calendars

With more than a million apps in the Apple App Store and also in Google Play, app titles listed in the top 100 are constantly changing. In fact, according to Appthority's research 57% of the top free iOS apps fall off the top 100 list every six months. Beyond changing app titles, app versions are also regularly updated creating a net new app almost every month. For this reason, analysis of the top 100 apps at any given point in time quickly becomes outdated.

In addition to the largest global database of analyzed apps, Appthority's launch of new customizable workflow features for its fully automated app risk management service makes it the industry's most advanced solution for enterprises. IT administrators now have the flexibility and granular control to create and manage mobile app policies by company department, geography, or even device type - whether company or employee owned.

To download Appthority's new Winter 2014 App Reputation Report, please visit: https://forms.appthority.com/acton/form/6354/000a:d-0001/0/index.htm?id=000a

For more information on the Appthority Mobile App Risk Management Service with enhanced workflow, please visit: https://www.appthority.com/products/app-policy-management

To schedule a meeting at the upcoming 2014 RSA conference, please contact: [email protected]

About Appthority
The Appthority Mobile App Risk Management Service automates the discovery, analysis, and approval of apps present on employee devices. Only Appthority combines the largest global database of millions of previously analyzed public and enterprise apps with a policy management engine to automate app review and approval of new apps as well as enforce custom, acceptable use policies for thousands of employees within minutes.  Appthority enables companies to leverage mobility and empower a smarter, safer, mobile workforce. More information on Appthority can be found at https://www.appthority.com.

Appthority name and logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Appthority, Inc in the United States and/or other countries. All other products and/or services referenced are trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE Appthority