Firebase Cloud Messaging
On the platform users can integrate and combine different Firebase features in both web and mobile applications.
FCM inherits the core infrastructure of GCM, however, it simplifies the development of the client side.
GCM and FCM offer encryption, push notification and messaging, native Android and iOS SDK support.
Developers are not required to write individual registrations or subscripting retrying login in the client application.
Second, a client application of possible types, iOS, Android or web (javaScript), which is also compatible with the selected platform service is needed.
On the client app, add message handling, topic subscription logic and other required features.
[15] Firebase offers free and unrestricted analytics tools to assist the user gain insights into the 'ad click' & 'application usage' of end customers.
[16] It is a simple key–value store that lives in the cloud and enables the user to implement modifications which can be read by the application.
[16] APIs packaged into single SDKs for iOS, Android, JavaScript and C++ in conjunction with the cross-platform support provided by FCM allow the developer to expand across different platforms without infrastructure modification.
It is a method of notification to users with common interest topics such as sports events, artists, music genres.
Developers need to publish a message to FCM, which is automatically delivered to devices subscribed to the select topic.
By using this tool, developers can view user behaviour and trends from data around responses to particular notifications.
Cloud-based messaging solutions also have security and privacy risks which need to be mitigated and considered before implementation into a project.
[18] A security concern is the potential exploitation of server keys which are stored in the FCM’s Android application package (APK) files.
If exploited, this allows the distribution of push notification messages to any and all users on the Firebase platform.
GCM has previously reported security vulnerabilities where phishing and malicious advertisement activities have occurred.
Protection against security threats involves multiple steps and can lead to additional implications.
The user needs to identify at the start, the connection channel or topic potentially used by the malicious application.
Black hat hackers may be able to breach the security of the Firebase Cloud Messaging platform and acquire the registration ID of the user’s application or other sensitive information.
Security compromise examples include private messages on a user’s social media account being pushed to the hacker’s device.
To ensure the privacy of the platform, the user can build end-to-end protection schemes around the open communication channels provided by the Cloud Messaging Services, which are unsecure.
