Top 5 Key Practices to Mitigate Security Risks in Software Development Now

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All digital products require exceptional security measures to ensure there aren’t any concerns about sensitive information being compromised. Some of the best ways to prevent issues with the software are to ensure accountability and know who has access to what data and when.

It’s essential to understand how to control data access and implement restrictions for third parties. Running architecture audits is another fantastic way to ensure that you don’t have any holes in your software’s security.

With these security measures, you can provide a safer environment for your users’ sensitive data, but there are still additional actions you should be taking. Your digital products’ current and future successes ride primarily on their ability to be regulation-compliant and highly safe.

We’ve broken down some common errors and solutions to help ensure you aren’t exposing your company to liabilities:

1. THE SECURITY OF REMOTE WORK TOOLS — ARE YOU SURE YOURS ARE SAFE?

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In tech, we are working remotely more and more, which means we are using many new remote working tools to communicate. The need for external devices is rising, but we must consider these solutions' security. A great example of some security issues is "Zoombombing," where uninvited users were inappropriately joining meetings because they somehow gained access to the meeting link.

These meetings are where we can share sensitive information about our companies and the data we collect. Our conversations over these external tools can be dangerous if used on company hardware, which is why we highly recommend revising the security of your remote work tools, like Zoom, Skype, or Slack. These tools are necessary when working remotely to communicate effectively, and ensuring that these systems are secure is essential to protecting our data.

2. MAXIMIZE YOUR EFFORTS IN MINIMIZING RISK DURING TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY

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Choosing which activities should be postponed and prioritized can significantly influence your digital product. By the way, here you can check what digital products we worked with our experts. The choice of activities is about deciding which software development activities are the riskiest and deciding whether to continue with their development or if it’s safer to hold off.

We recommend postponing riskier features significantly when they can impact the security of your software. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take any chances in times of crisis, but when implementing changes to your software, you should make more informed decisions with more predictable outcomes. Putting your software’s security at risk is not a risk worth taking.

3. SHARE THE LATEST INFORMATION AS A MEANS OF PREVENTION

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Scamming websites and phishing attempts are on the rise. Many claim you can buy the “latest vaccine” for a few thousand dollars. We’re also noticing that ransomware attacks are becoming more popular, and 80% of these attacks start with opening an email and clicking on a link.

Effective communication can prevent these types of scams from affecting your employees and your computer systems and software. Amid a security breach crisis, you must keep your users and employees informed about the status of the significant news. This way, they aren’t as inclined, or hopefully won’t be inclined, to go for these click-bait scams that seem to be increasing in numbers.

4. DO YOU KNOW WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR DATA?

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With the collections of user-sensitive data, there is a greater need to ensure that only the people who need access have it. If certain team members don’t need to have access to a particular set of data, then it should be restricted to them. You can limit data sets entirely or provide time restrictions for when access is needed - the choice is yours. Reducing internal risks is an easy way of preventing leaks and securing the information you collect.

5. PASSWORDS AND SECURITY DEVICES BEST PRACTICES

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When discussing the software development industry, we endlessly discuss regulation compliance with good reason! It must have clear guidelines about what is needed for password security and software access. Making sure your company follows these important guidelines is more than a precaution. It's a necessity.

But it shouldn't stop at your users! It would help if you were practicing these protocols internally as well. Implementing protective measures such as two(or more)-factor authentication and password reset & quality policies should be prioritized for all systems and features (similar to what banks have been doing for a couple of years now). Make sure your employees understand these security implementations' importance and use them in their daily practices.

SECURITY IS A PRIORITY FOR A UNIQUE DIGITAL PRODUCT

The security measures and protocols are unique. Collecting sensitive data, we need to ensure that your purchased software has been tested when it comes to securing data. But you can’t just stop at the security your software provides for your users. You must ensure that you are also taking preventative measures within your company.

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We’ve suggested some key actions that your company can take to increase security and prevent sensitive data from leaking into the wrong hands. Some risks are just not worth taking, and when it comes to patient data, those of us with years of experience working in the healthcare industry know security is a priority.

TAKEAWAYS

Revise external communication tools to ensure they can be used for sensitive discussions.
Postpone riskier development during times of uncertainty to not compromise the security measures you have already taken.
Keep your users and employees informed on the latest news to prevent security risks like click-bait scams.
Internal data-access restrictions can be just as crucial as the restrictions you set for third-party vendors.
Password and security protocols should be standard for your software and internal daily activities.

Taking steps to ensure your data is secure safeguards your company’s success. Make sure you’re taking the proper steps.

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