The Four-Week Security Renovation Plan for Android Apps

The good news is that Android app security problems are solvable. Most vulnerabilities stem from basic oversights rather than advanced technical challenges. So here is a simple 4 week security renovation plan that you can execute for your mobile app. If you have an iOS app you might also check the plans for iOS Apps and Web Apps.

Week 1 – Assessment & Setup

Understand the current state of the app and prepare the environment for renovation.

Codebase Audit

Review existing codebase for deprecated APIs and insecure patterns (e.g., WebView use, plaintext storage).

Check for hardcoded secrets (API keys, passwords, tokens).

• Dependencies Check

  • Review all libraries/SDKs in build.gradle (app & project level).

  • Identify outdated or abandoned libraries.

• Tooling Setup

  • Set up static analysis tools: Android Lint, SonarQube, MobSF for security scanning

  • Integrate code scanning in CI/CD (GitHub Actions, GitLab, Bitrise, etc.).

• Platform Baseline

  • Confirm minimum SDK version and target SDK version.

  • Check against Google Play target API requirements.

• (Optional) Determine Your Quality Criteria Score

  • Score the project against our Quality Criteria. Read more about it here.

Week 2 – Dependency & SDK Updates

Update the foundation to remove legacy vulnerabilities.

• Gradle & Android Studio

  • Upgrade Gradle wrapper and Android Gradle Plugin (AGP).

  • Use the latest stable Android Studio.

• Library Updates

  • Update all third-party dependencies to their latest stable versions.

  • Replace outdated/abandoned libraries with maintained alternatives.

• Target API Upgrade

  • Raise target SDK version to at least the latest required by Google Play.

  • Update code where APIs have changed/been deprecated.

• Testing after updates

  • Run automated tests (if available or prepare a plan to add such otherwise).

  • Perform manual smoke testing for crashes/regressions.

Week 3 – Security Hardening

Apply security best practices throughout the app.

• Data Protection

  • Replace SharedPreferences with EncryptedSharedPreferences or AndroidX Security crypto.

  • Ensure sensitive data is stored using Keystore.

• Networking

  • Enforce HTTPS/TLS 1.2+ with certificate pinning (if possible).

  • Verify correct use of Network Security Config.

• Authentication

  • Use OAuth2/OpenID Connect for user authentication instead of custom solutions.

  • Implement token expiration and refresh securely.

• Permissions Review

  • Minimize requested permissions to only what’s necessary.

  • Migrate to runtime permission checks if not already implemented.

• ProGuard/R8 & Obfuscation

  • Ensure ProGuard/R8 is enabled to shrink and obfuscate release builds.

  • Double-check sensitive strings are not leaked.

Week 4 – Testing, Monitoring & Release Prep

Validate fixes, set up monitoring, and prepare for safe release.

• Security & Penetration Testing

  • Run OWASP Mobile Security Testing Guide checks.

  • Use dynamic analysis with tools like MobSF or Burp Suite.

• Crash & Logging

  • Integrate crash reporting (Firebase Crashlytics or Sentry).

  • Ensure no sensitive data is logged.

• Play Store Compliance

  • Verify Play Store policies (permissions, data safety form, privacy policy).

  • Generate a new signing key in Google Play (if the old one is compromised or not updated for a couple of years).

• Release Candidate

  • Create a beta release for internal/external testers.

  • Collect feedback and fix last issues.

• Deploy & Monitor

  • Roll out in a staged release (start with a small % of users).

  • Monitor crashes, ANRs, and user reports.

If you need support executing these steps, we are here to help. You can directly book a call here or send us any questions via our contact form.