In brief
Secure your application by preventing SQL attacks, encrypting communications, protecting passwords with hashing and salt, implementing multifactor authentication, and conducting security audits.
We all remember Yahoo’s notorious security breach. In 2013, the accounts of 3 billion users were affected by a cyberattack, making it one of the largest security breaches in history. Similar stories dominated the news in 2017. In August, credit rating agency Equifax was revealed to have suffered a major data breach affecting 143 million people. According to security company Gemalto, approximately 2 billion personal records were stolen worldwide in the first half of 2017.
Such security breaches will continue, as the accidental leak of recent government hacking tools has made it easier for hackers to use malware to steal company data. According to a cybersecurity company’s report, by 2021, cybercrime will cost the world US$6 trillion annually—more than the losses caused by the global illegal drug trade.
These alarming figures show why cybersecurity is essential before launching any kind of software. Here are five tips for building a secure solution:
1. Prevent SQL attacks
SQL attacks are among the leading vulnerabilities on the OWASP Top 10 list of Web application vulnerabilities. The OWASP Mobile Application Security Project was launched to help developers understand common factors that threaten the security of web applications. SQL attacks are very common and occur when an untrusted source enters data into an application. Common entry points include shopping carts, registration forms, and login forms. SQL attacks
are common because SQL is a universal language used by all databases, and carrying out these attacks does not require much expertise. SQL attacks allow hackers to alter existing data. Hackers can also expose and destroy all the data or, worse still, become server administrators. Developers can prevent SQL injection through query parameterization. In this approach, the server processes a request before executing it so that it knows what type of query it is.
2. Encrypt everything. Encryption is the most crucial step in protecting an application. In 2014, hackers attacked eBay and stole information belonging to 100 eBay employees. From there, they obtained data on approximately 145 million users. Interestingly, the hackers tampered with eBay’s systems for 229 days without the company noticing. This can happen when encryption is of poor quality. Attackers can install stolen certificates to conceal their presence. When an HTTPS solution cannot access all keys and certificates, these rogue certificates cannot be detected. It is also worth mentioning that LinkedIn became complacent about its mobile application. When the company introduced a new calendar integration feature, it transferred local calendar data openly to LinkedIn’s servers on the internet, where anyone could view it at any time. Make sure your application is encrypted, and ensure that all communication between the software and the server takes place over HTTPS connections. 3. Keep passwords secure. Password security is crucial in any application development project. Adobe’s well-known 2013 data breach stemmed from the company’s failure to store passwords securely. Applications often make the mistake of storing passwords without encryption, leaving them more vulnerable to attack.
You should therefore ensure that passwords cannot be recovered from the database. To properly protect passwords, you can use a cryptographic hash function, which mixes and scrambles the input to prevent attempts to recover it. You can also use a strategy called “hash and salt,” combining each password’s hash with a random addition known as a “salt.”
4. Implement multifactor authentication
As the world moves toward multifactor authentication, relying on passwords alone to verify identity is becoming outdated. Many websites and applications, including Google and Apple, offer multifactor authentication. The payment application Venmo and its security breach demonstrate the importance of multifactor authentication
. A Venmo customer named Griswold had his account compromised, and only US$3,000 remained when he discovered it. Although it was unclear how the attacker gained access to the account, Venmo was criticized for not supporting multifactor authentication.
The most common form of two-factor authentication is through a mobile application. However, it is not particularly secure. Recently, Twitter updated its platform’s security to allow users to implement third-party authentication. Twitter users can now authenticate using third-party applications such as Google Authenticator.
5. Conduct security audits
Do you think you have done everything possible to protect your application and make it immune to any attack? Think again. You may have tested and retested your software, but that does not guarantee flawless security. Because developers write the code themselves, they are more likely to overlook specific factors. This is why it is necessary to examine your solution from a different perspective.
To conduct a successful audit, you first need to establish your requirements. You also need to identify the types of risks your application may be vulnerable to so that you can design appropriate tests. You can also use automated tools for this work. These tools significantly reduce costs and increase coverage.
Conclusion. As the world becomes increasingly connected, our reliance on software solutions grows. With cybercrime on the rise, no web application is immune, especially payment systems such as PayPal, AliPay, and Venmo. Cybersecurity is becoming more challenging as hackers grow smarter and more sophisticated. Black-hat hackers often stay ahead of white-hat security professionals. An experienced hacker needs only 10 minutes to crack a six-character password. These acts of cyber theft have enabled them to accomplish a great deal, and they will not stop anytime soon. With many options available and low switching costs, customers will not hesitate to choose another solution over yours. Once your reputation is damaged, it is difficult to recover. This guest article was contributed by Ashley Rosa. She is a freelance writer and blogger. Writing is her passion, which is why she enjoys writing about the latest technology trends and occasionally about health technology.
Link :http://techacute.com/5-tips-develop-secure-application/