8 Challenges of Application Security and How to Resolve Them
Application security is the process of fortifying your mobile and web applications against cyber threats and vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, issues in the development cycle and operations can expose your system to cyberattacks.
Adopting a proactive approach to identifying possible application challenges enhances data security. What are the most common challenges, and how can you resolve them?
1. Inadequate Access Controls
How yougrant users access to your applicationdetermines the kinds of people that can engage with your data. Expect the worst when malicious users and vectors gain access to your sensitive data. Implementing access controls is a credible way of vetting all entries with authentication and authorization security mechanisms.
There are different kinds of access controls to manage users' access to your system. These include role-based, mandatory, discretionary, and attribute access controls. Each category handles what specific users can do and how far they can go. It’s also essential to adopt the least privilege access control technique which gives users the minimum access level they need.
2. Misconfiguration Issues
An application’s functionality and security are byproducts of its configuration settings—the arrangement of different components to aid a desired performance. Every function role has a defined configuration setup that the developer must follow, lest they expose the system to technical errors and vulnerabilities.
Security misconfigurations arise from loopholes in the programming. The errors could be from the source code or misinterpreting a valid code in the application’s settings.
The growing popularity of open-source technology simplifies application setups. you may modify existing code to your needs, saving time and resources you would otherwise spend creating work from scratch. But open-source can generate misconfiguration concerns when the code isn’t compatible with your device.
If you are developing an app from scratch, you need to conduct thorough security testing in the development cycle. And if you are working with open-source software, run security and compatibility checks before launching your application.
3. Code Injections
Code injection is the insertion of malicious code into an application’s source code to disrupt its original programming. It’s one of the ways cybercriminals compromise applications by interfering with the data flow to retrieve sensitive data or hijack control from the legitimate owner.
To generate valid injection codes, the hacker must identify components of your application’s codes such as data characters, formats, and volume. The malicious codes must look like legitimate ones for the application to process them. After creating the code, they look for weak attack surfaces they can exploit to gain entry.
Validating all inputs into your application helps to prevent code injection. Not only do you crosscheck alphabets and numbers but also characters and symbols. Create a whitelist of acceptable values, so the system bounces those that are not on your list.
4. Inadequate Visibility
Most attacks on your application are successful because you are unaware of them until they happen. An intruder who makes multiple login attempts on your system may have difficulty initially but eventually gain entry. You could have prevented them from entering your network with early detection.
Since cyber threats are becoming more complex, there’s only so much you may detect manually. Adopting automated security tools to track activities within your application is key. These devices use artificial intelligence to differentiate malicious activities from legitimate ones. They also raise an alarm of threats and initiate a swift response to contain attacks.
5. Malicious Bots
Bots are instrumental in performing technical roles that take long periods to perform manually. One area they assist the most in is customer support. They answer frequently asked questions by retrieving information from private and public knowledge bases. But they are also a threat to application security, especially in facilitating cyberattacks.
Hackers deploy malicious bots to execute various automated attacks such as sending multiple spam emails, entering multiple login credentials into a login portal, and infecting systems with malware.
Implementing CAPTCHA on your applicationis one of the common ways to prevent malicious bots. Since it requires users to verify they are human by identifying objects, bots can’t gain entry. You can also blacklist traffic from hosting and proxy servers with a questionable reputation.
6. Weak Encryption
Cybercriminals have access to sophisticated tools for hacking, so gaining unauthorized access to applications is not an impossible task. You need to take your security beyond the access level and secure your assets individually with techniques like encryption.
Encryption is transforming plaintext data into cyphertextthat requires a decryption key or password for viewing. Once you encrypt your data, only users with the key can access it. This means that attackers can’t view or read your data even if they retrieve it from your system. Encryption secures your data both at rest and in transit, so it’s effective for maintaining the integrity of all kinds of data.
7. Malicious Redirects
Part of enhancing the user experience in an application is to enable redirection to external pages, so users can continue their online journey without disconnecting. When they click on hyperlinked content, the new page opens. Threat actors can leverage this opportunity to redirect users to their fraudulent pages through phishing attacks like reverse tabnabbing.
In malicious redirects, attackers clone the legitimate redirect page, so they don’t suspect any foul play. An unsuspecting victim could enter their personal information such as login credentials as a requirement to continue their browsing session.
Implementing noopener commands prevents your application from processing invalid redirects from hackers. When a user clicks on a legitimate redirect link, the system generates an HTML authorization code that validates it before processing. Since fraudulent links don’t have this code, the system won’t process them.
8. Keeping Up With Rapid Updates
Things change quickly in the digital space, and it feels like everyone has to play catch up. As an application provider, you owe it to your users to give them the best and latest features. This prompts you to focus on developing the next best feature and releasing it without adequately considering its security implications.
Security testing is one area of the development cycle that you shouldn’t rush. When you jump the gun, you bypass precautions to strengthen your application’s security and your users' safety. On the other hand, if you take your time as you should, your competitors may leave you behind.
Striking a balance between developing new updates and not taking too much time in testing is your best bet. This involves creating a schedule for possible updates with adequate time for testing and releases.
Your App Is More Secure When You Secure Its Weak Spots
Cyberspace is a slippery slope with current and emerging threats. Ignoring your application’s security challenges is a recipe for disaster. Threats won’t go away but, instead, may even gather momentum. Identifying problems empowers you to take necessary precautions and secure your system better.
How do you secure your company data when employees use various devices and apps? That’s where Mobile Application Management comes in handy…
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