2026 Mobile API and AI Security Predictions

Episode Summary: In this episode of Upwardly Mobile, we audit the accuracy of Approov’s 2025 cybersecurity forecast. Of the seven trends predicted, four proved to be "absolutely correct." We break down these key hits: the dual-use of AI by attackers and defenders, the undeniable dominance of cross-platform development, the crackdown on open-source supply chain risks, and the heavy impact of new global breach reporting mandates.

The 4 Mobile Security Trends That Defined the Year

Key Topics — The 4 Correct Predictions:
• 1. AI’s Double-Edged Sword: We discuss how 2025 wasn't just about AI hype—it was about operational impact. Attackers utilized LLMs to lower the bar for API abuse and generate scripts to bypass WAFs, while defenders leaned on AI for anomaly detection and scan interpretation to speed up code reviews.
• 2. Cross-Platform is King: The prediction that cross-platform development would be "the way forward" held true. We analyze how Flutter and React Native maintained dominance in 2025, becoming the norm for enterprise and fintech apps, though Huawei’s HarmonyOS remained a regional outlier.
• 3. The Open Source Crackdown: Scrutiny on open-source software (OSS) intensified as predicted. With attackers targeting ecosystems like npm and PyPI, and regulations like the EU CRA enforcing SBOMs, organizations were forced to verify their supply chains and adopt runtime protection to catch tampering.
• 4. The Breach Reporting Crunch: Approov correctly forecasted that breach reporting would demand massive investment. With the EU NIS2 Directive and PCI DSS 4.0 coming into full effect, the focus shifted from simple disclosure to operational resilience—requiring companies to report incidents in hours, not days.

Featured Resources & Links:
• Approov Report: Approov Predicted 7 Mobile Cybersecurity Trends for 2025 - Did They Happen? – The full retrospective on which predictions hit the mark and which were too optimistic (like the adoption of certificate pinning).
• Expert Insights: LW Roundtable: Mandates Surge, Guardrails Lag – Further reading on the friction between compliance mandates and security realities.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Approov. Don’t let your mobile app be the weak link. Approov provides comprehensive runtime security, ensuring that only your genuine app communicates with your API.
• Visit: approov.io
• Solutions: Runtime Secrets Protection and Mobile API Security.

Keywords: Mobile Security, Cybersecurity Predictions, AI Threats, Flutter, ReactNative, Open Source Security, SBOM, NIS2 Compliance, Supply Chain Attacks, Approov, API Security. 

🎙️ Upwardly Mobile is hosted by Skye Macintyre & George McGregor. 🛡️ Sponsored by Approov: The only comprehensive solution for mobile app and API security. 👉 Subscribe & Review: Upwardly Mobile | Podcast

This episode includes AI-generated content.