By userThe many advantages of web and mobile apps come with certain disadvantages as well. One such disadvantage of applications is their vulnerability to cybersecurity threats. If apps are secured against cyber threats, there are risks of loss of sensitive business information, financial losses, disclosure of business secrets, loss of reputation of the business and more.
Cyber threats cannot be eliminated completely. They can only be prevented to the maximum extent possible. Given below are some of the best practices every business enterprise must adopt to protect its apps from cyber threats:
1. Create an application threat model:
Most business enterprises use several web applications to perform different functions. This often causes mismanagement. They often lose track of the obsolete and unused apps. Creating an application threat model would involve preparing the list of applications with their current and future use. This will help to identify the potential vulnerabilities being faced by each app. Hence, corrective steps can be taken to protect them.
2. Prioritizing your apps:
Taking preventive steps for each app is not feasible. Hence, it is important to prioritize them on the basis of sensitive information they deal with. The ones dealing with customer data, monetary transactions, and other sensitive information should be at the top of the list. Thus, the appropriate remedial actions can be taken for the right apps at the right time.
3. Use fewest privileges for your apps:
Applications can be used with a wide range of privileges for a more personalized experience. But, with privileges apps are more prone to vulnerabilities. Business enterprises should turn off such privileges from the settings menu and keep the minimum privileges available to its workers and employees. Only a few highly authorized personnel should have access to the security settings menu.
4. Secure use of cookies:
Cookies are highly used by business enterprises due to their varied benefits. But, they are easy to be manipulated by hackers. Hence, the secure use of cookies is mandatory for safeguarding your apps against online vulnerabilities. Cookies should never be used to remember sensitive data. Further, it is better to keep their expiration dates short.
5. Use of filtered user inputs:
It is important to monitor and properly scrutinize user entries before accepting them. Since unfiltered user entries are not closely monitored, they are a great way of getting inside applications by hackers.
6. Secure password reset system:
Every application allows the option of resetting the user password. This process is generally a bit lengthy and involves setting up security questions. Most users adopt easy ways of resetting their passwords out of convenience. But, this is yet another way of inviting hackers to infiltrate your app. Your easy password resetting system will be a cakewalk for professional hackers.
Conclusion:
There are various online tutorials on using web application security tools for preventing your apps from cybersecurity threats and malware attacks. Any plan you choose to implement should be properly devised and executed. However, merely executing a plan is not enough; its effectiveness should be periodically reviewed.
