Developing a web application is great for any developer or business owner that’s why the security of a web application is important in preventing the data available on your application from getting accessed or compromised by hackers.
There are several web application security practices you must implement if you want your application to be safe for its users. Here, I’ll explain some of the best practices you must consider while developing a web application.
So, make sure to read this article till the end to fully understand the best practices described here, and then, you should implement them.
Best Practices For Web Application Security
To ensure the security of your web application, we will look at some of the major steps you must take.
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#1. Application security should be taught to all personnel
When a web application is created and available online for download, several people have access to it and download it for their use. Because of this, it is important to include security codes in the app when it is being developed.
Also, training all personnel about application security involved in developing the app will prove beneficial eventually.
In other words, you should train other personnel involved in the development of the application, such as project managers, quality assurance personnel, and operational staff.
You may be wondering why you should bother with training all personnel. Well, security is the bedrock of any business and application, so, when those involved in developing the app know much about application security, they will pay more attention.
Also, when your employees are knowledgeable about cybersecurity when a problem arises, they will have adequate knowledge to deal with it.
This means that everyone should know about application security, cybersecurity, and cyberattacks and understand the vulnerabilities the application they are developing has so that they know what to do.
#2. Have a cybersecurity framework
Innovative ideas for cyberattacks come up each day, which also means that cybersecurity tips and knowledge also come up daily.
To prevent you and your workers from forgetting or missing important parts in your web application security there should be a cybersecurity framework for everyone to follow.
Cyberattacks usually target these cybersecurity frameworks for the information assets they can access. Therefore, categorizing the data you have is beneficial for you and your employees as well.
Then, you find the possible threats to the information you have on your web application and the possible response needed for that web application security.
#3. Have security tools in place
Most web applications have integration and automation features in them, including security tools.
This means that when you have security tools in place, it minimizes the potential of an error occurring because the security is already integrated and automated.
By using security tools, you will be able to detect any problems in your web application in the early stages and fix them as quickly as possible. This prevents losses that may have occurred.
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There are several solutions like issue trackers used while developing software, and security tools should collaborate with them so that when there are any security issues, they can be easily treated.
This cybersecurity checklist step can also be outsourced to various top managed service providers as they can implement security software to your web app.
#4. Make use of real-time monitoring
Making use of real-time monitoring by using tools like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), and high-security logging can help in web application security.
As a developer or business person, you can depend on only putting preventive measures in place for your application security, you also need to ensure that any cyberattack or breach that may happen in the future can be detected and combated well through real-time monitoring.
Your application should have codes that easily point out and let you know when there has been an attack.
#5. Develop your application securely
While developing a web application, you must ensure that there are guidelines that help you to find errors while writing your codes and detect errors that may occur early which helps you resolve them.
These guidelines can be applicable when developers know what they can and must do for web application security.
Also, they must know about SQL injections and how to prevent them, cyberattacks or threats, vulnerabilities that an application may have, and tools needed to develop a good and secure web application.
During the development lifecycle of an application, vulnerabilities to security should be scanned to discover any issue that may come up.
Therefore, to secure web applications, software developers ensure that code signing is done on the application.
It is done so that users of the application are assured that the verification code they received has not to be compromised or altered by a hacker or third party.
The code signing certificate uses a digital signature, the company’s name, and a timestamp. Code signing is beneficial because it prevents security warning labels, and easy detection and monitoring of applications, among others.
#6. Perform regular testing
Throughout the development lifecycle of your application, ensure that you perform regular vulnerabilities and security testing.
The tools used for this process are Automated Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) and Static Application Security Testing (SAST).
Developers use both instead of just one of them because it helps you detect issues early which makes room for cheaper fixing of the application security, and it helps you become more conscious about your web application security.
#7. Perform mock security attacks
Performing mock security attacks helps your business to work tirelessly to ensure that security is not compromised, and it also helps you to be security conscious.
Some businesses or developers go to the extent of hiring people who will conduct mock security attacks on their web applications. In this attack, it seems like a hacker is attacking.
While the developers try to prevent this attack from happening or try to stop it. With that, both teams function as though there is a real attack and try to prevent or resolve the attack. However, it’s usually expensive to hire people as the attackers.
These mock hackers make use of social engineering, phishing, spam, etc., in addition to security attacks.
The advantage is that it makes developers and business owners more interested in their web application security.
Final Words
The security of any software or application is the first and foremost priority of developers that can’t be compromised in any way. Therefore, you must follow the above-mentioned best security practices to ensure web application security.
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