How To Improve Web Application Security?

Are you in “not-aware-of” category who are still not influenced by the IoT or cloud? Well, the development of new technologies is dragging us towards perfection. It is awaking the new expectations and demand to quash the loopholes in the existing technology.

Yesterdays traditional and downloadable applications are fading away since the cloud has started its penetration in the industries. The new generation is turning to program they can use from any connected devices – web applications.

Why go for Web application Development?

The most thrusting reason is-it allows organizations to accommodate remote workers and access a globalized market of connected customers.

Web application needs that services to be always available and secure data transfer. Application breach or service inaccessibility challenges the service capability and leaves a significant impact on you and your customers.

Let us have a view of the common risks and challenges faced by the web application and know some measure to keep you and your customers happy.

#Common Risks for Web Apps:

Though web application has been encountering some risks as traditional offline applications, their connected nature might drag in some additional risks.

• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)— In this, attackers write scripts in a user’s browser and redirect users to malicious sites, steal cookies along with user information and download malware.
• Injection attacks— In this, spoiler submits code to be executed via user input fields. This attack mainly aims to read or modify sensitive (confidential) data, execute malicious functions to applications, and secured access servers.
• Remote Code Execution (RCE)— In this attacker takes help of automated tools to perform code remotely. The main purpose of the attack is to make the application vulnerable for further attacks or write malicious code.
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks— In this attacker utilizes a network of compromised devices to overload and spam servers to shut down sites and affect the revenue. Some attackers use this to distract the security team and permit other types of attacks.
• Logical vulnerabilities— In this, attackers misuse logical flaws to obtain private data, change parameters, disturb security measures.

It is impossible to develop an ideal web application which offers no risk, but if you hire a reliable web development company India, then might face less inconsistency and risk.

Also Read: Why Do You Need To Redesign Your Website?

Practices followed by the top web development company to avoid risk.

A) Shift Security Left:

Shifting security left means integrating security teams and procedures in the development process of the web application. You can achieve this by hiring a web application development company which uses DevSecOps strategy to permit development, security, and operations teams work at a time collectively.

Hiring the right company would ensure you from the risks of being attacked and assures you with the stable functioning of the web application.

Adoption of DevSecOps strategy also offers continuous testing and correction of vulnerabilities.

Web application development company makes sure that it uses a variety of tools and testing procedures before implementing security process. This process guarantees that you cover logical vulnerabilities and code-based smartly and efficiently. The tools used should have Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), which assesses app in the environment, Static Application Security Testing (SAST) to evaluate source code and at last, manual source code audits and both automated and manual penetration test.

B) Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs):

Depending on traditional firewalls will not help you in securing your application. Firewalls are incapable of analyzing traffic for reasonable restriction and blocking all external traffic is not possible.

Enacting this would prevent customers from accessing the services.

Using WAF, you can analyze HTTP and HTTPS traffic. You would be able to identify and block attacks on the application layer. This activity will add to a better layer of protection but not a full solution.

WAFs work by pattern matching upon known vulnerabilities. Though, it is capable of blocking identified exploits but does not remove the vulnerabilities themselves.

Also Read: Top 6 Cross-Platform Mobile Application Frameworks

C) Restrict Access:

Limiting the access of users and services to their need will pull out the risk. This also reduces the loss caused by an attacker and can be resolved soon. Provide access to administrators to web servers locally, but all remote traffic should be tunnelled and encrypted.

This will hide the source and destination addresses to reduce potential attacks.

While web application development, developers should only include necessary functionalities. Adding daemons or redundant code increase the vulnerabilities in securities.

#Try Bug Bounty Program

The bug bounty program is a program which offers a reward on finding and submitting bugs in an application. These awards are given on reporting exploits or vulnerability in a confidential way. Conducting such programs will attract proficient hackers without requiring initial costs.

Bug bounty programs provide continued security test after deployment of an application.

You can reward your consumers and engage them in the activity as well. They might highlight your dedication towards web app security.

Conclusion:

The erupting change in the choice for technology and booming demand for web application has undoubtedly invited challenges and benefits for organizations and attackers equally. To ensure maximum benefit to the users and organization, you should work on coming problems accordingly.

One can use resources to overcome the vulnerabilities and offer the best security system.