'Inconvenient security solutions enable perfect defense'. With cyberattacks becoming more intense, when asked what the criteria are for selecting a security solution, this is the answer we often get. The idea is that as the attack difficulty increases, 'convenient security' alone cannot defend against unpredictable situations.

Lockin Company, a mobile app security specialist, is a representative company that has been running to break this prejudice. Their goal is to go one step further from inconvenient security and help users implement customized security according to their needs. met with Choi Myeong-gyu, CEO of Lockin Company, to hear about the meaning of 'security that anyone can design'.

◆Turning the function on and off like a light switch... The winning move of the security product 'LIAPP'

Since founding Lockin Company in 2013, CEO Choi has focused on usability for over 10 years. He said, "In the past, developers had to spend time and perform complex tasks to integrate security solutions," and "In order to solve this problem, we dreamed of security that anyone can easily use."

The product that emerged as part of this effort is 'LIAPP'. LIAPP is an app security service that provides functions such as source code encryption, forgery prevention, memory protection, rooting and hacking tool detection, and debugging blocking required for mobile app development. Users upload app files to the LIAPP site and go through analysis and protection procedures, after which they only need to download the completed app and start service work.

CEO Choi explained, "If you upload a developed app to LIAPP, you can apply the necessary security elements," and "Not only developers, but also operators can complete their own QA and distribute it right away, which reduces the burden of the application process."

​However, it is also true that there are increasing competitors in the domestic and international mobile app security market that prioritize usability. This is why Lockin Company has taken a step further and started to focus on 'security that anyone can design'. CEO Choi emphasized, "When operating a service, security often becomes an obstacle (hurdle)." He added, "Each service requires different areas of security, and the areas that are allowed depending on the policy are also diverse, so supporting a customized experience for customers has become the key."

To this end, Lockin Company supports turning the function on and off. It helps to turn the functions required for mobile app security on and off as needed, and it is helpful for companies targeting overseas markets that operate different compliance than domestic markets. CEO Choi said, "We can conduct security that does not cause major damage to the service," and "It is easy considering that internal policies often conflict when actually released in the (overseas) market, and the cost of supplementing and distributing the actual app is high."

​As we implement easy-to-use security, our customer base is also diversifying, he added. All industries that use 'apps' are targeted, but the fintech, banking, gaming, and healthcare industries are representative examples. CEO Choi explained, "We are expanding our scope from individual developers to large enterprises."

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Myung-gyu Choi, CEO of Lockin Company, meets with to introduce his business strategy.

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​◆It's not easy to find malicious code... Upgrading security with 'behavior-based detection'

Lockin Company is also devising a security strategy that matches the latest threats. CEO Choi diagnosed, "There are many cases where source codes, such as blueprints, are exposed as they are," and "As various tools are being developed and hackers' understanding is increasing, threats such as tampering are also increasing."

At the same time as improving usability, there is a growing need to strengthen mobile app security with next-generation technology. In this atmosphere, Lockin Company is focusing on incorporating behavior-based detection technology into its main strategy.

​CEO Choi pointed out, "In the past, we used to detect threats including malware based on files," and "This means that we had to open the file directly and analyze it to see if (malicious elements) were actually present in that location." He continued, "Now, the area that can be inspected is not free due to the app store policy," and said, "We are looking at detecting by judging whether a specific part is normal based on the signal coming into the process."

​Lockin Company plans to expand its security business based on its main strategy. CEO Choi diagnosed, "When we first started the business, there were not many services and the fragmented flow was prominent," and "However, now, the trend is to switch to integrated security solutions and services."

​This is why we are expanding our product line to include LISS and LIKEY following LiApp. LISS is a mobile app screen capture prevention solution. It provides remote control app detection, screen capture, and recording prevention functions in the mobile environment, and protects against threats that collect user information. LIKEY is a mobile app security keypad designed to protect the personal information of users that have been entered.

​Meanwhile, Lockin Company plans to target overseas markets such as Japan, the United States, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, and Austria, while also introducing security products based on software as a service (SaaS) to increase its presence in the global market.

CEO Choi emphasized, “We will establish Lockin Company’s own identity, starting with security that anyone can design, and provide value to customers,” and “We will provide the security that is actually needed through rapid upgrades.”