Before we get on with the discussion on the topic, let us take account of some of the most interesting yet shuddery statistics. Considering the numbers about free applications on Google platform, 73% of the top 100 applications on the Play Store have been hacked. Apple iOS is not so safe either since 53% of the top 100 applications on the Apple platform have been hacked as well.
However, if you think that the case is restricted to free apps only, then we’re afraid that there is some more bad news in store for you. 100% of the top hundred paid apps on Google platform and 56% of the top hundred paid apps on Apple platform have been hacked. So, irrespective of whether your organization offers free or paid apps, you’re prone to attacks and hack attempts.
This article takes account of the organizational perspective as to how the applications could be secured by taking account of some easy steps. You may like to try these to ensure the security of the applications offered by your business organization:
The penetration test could be completed by hiring a third party expert like ProcessVenue. The expert party tries to break into the system by taking account of various measures. The results of the penetration test help in the provision of a number of immediate action items that needs proper resolve. The overall security risks currently found in the system could be uncovered.
A number of vulnerabilities could be found in the source code of the application. The major cause of such issues could be through developer’s errors. The testing phase is also crucial especially in the case of native apps.
Since the code stays on the device once it is downloaded, the hackers and attackers could easily attack such code as it is more accessible as compared to other applications.
Once the penetration test and developer code’s related issues are diagnosed, the next step would be to come up with additional layers of protection for the system. It could range be anything from DDOS attack mitigation hardware and software, through to advanced firewalls and anti-virus software. Depending on the nature and size of the organization into context, various protection layers could be introduced. However, firewalls and antivirus protection should be a norm for all the businesses, irrespective of the nature and size of the organization.
The application could be using cloud or a traditional server owned by your business or a third-party vendor’s provided services. The server should have enough security measures to prevent any unauthorized access. All the API’s and other entities trying to gain access should be cross-verified to prevent the chances of eavesdropping. Consulting a network security expert like Process Venue could be beneficial for securing the servers.
After the security of servers and penetration test is taken care of, the next step should be the training of the developers. It is impossible for the developers to train themselves. The developers should be made aware of the best practices related to application security at the beginning. With the passage of time, the developers should be trained about app-specific security challenges which they might encounter.
As the manager of a business, it should a rule to let the developers know that they are not the ones who are required to write the security controls.
Since they are not the experts in the field, writing down the security controls will not add any value to the security setup.
In order to be secure, the application should be consistently improving, monitoring, and upgrading the security controls. The attackers often want to find a place where the security controls don’t exist or are weak enough. The company’s security system should be different and must be designed by the experts. So whether it is about training, standards, awareness, or controls, consistency should be the key.
The data and apps need security and protection. There are various ways to complete the job. ProcessVenue could help you in introduction, overhauling, and review of your security processes.
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