Application security. AppSec. What does it all mean? Why is it important? And is there such a thing as one security app to rule them all? (Tolkien reference, anyone?)
The short answer is no. Just like everything else in technology, there’s never just one thing you can do to keep your applications secure. Application security requires a layered approach. It requires multiple deployments of various security tools so that information is protected from any potential vulnerability or point of weakness.
In this post, I’ll explain:
- What application security is.
- Why professionals (like us) must understand its importance.
- How to ensure your applications stay secure.
What is application security?
Application security, often referred to as AppSec, is the process of developing, adding and testing security features within applications to prevent security vulnerabilities against threats such as unauthorized access and modification.
An application should remain secure from the time it is designed, developed, deployed and released into the wild. It’s up to the application creator to watch out for vulnerabilities and patch them accordingly. However, it’s up to the users to do their job to protect their applications, too.
Why is AppSec important?
For accountants and small business professionals, application security isn’t just a technical concern—it’s a critical business issue. Here’s why:
- Protection of sensitive data: Accountants and small businesses handle a wealth of sensitive financial information and personal data. Secure applications help prevent unauthorized access to this data, protecting both the business and its clients from potential breaches.
- Compliance requirements: Many industries have strict regulations regarding data protection (like GDPR, HIPAA or PCI-DSS). Proper application security helps ensure compliance with these regulations, avoiding potential legal issues and fines.
- Reputation management: A security breach can severely damage a business’s reputation. For accountants and small businesses, where trust is paramount, maintaining secure applications is crucial for retaining client confidence.
- Financial protection: Cyberattacks can be costly. Secure applications help prevent financial losses associated with data breaches, including recovery costs, legal fees and potential compensation to affected parties.
- Business continuity: Secure applications are more reliable and less likely to suffer from downtime due to cyber incidents, ensuring smooth business operations.
- Competitive advantage: Demonstrating your security measures can be a significant selling point for clients who are conscious about their data protection.
Given these factors, it’s clear that application security should be a top priority for accountants and small business professionals. Now, let’s explore how to ensure your applications stay secure.
How can I make sure my applications stay secure?
Ensuring the security of your applications involves implementing a multi-layered approach.
Here are five key AppSec strategies:
1. Run them in the cloud.
Just by running in the cloud, application security is significantly enhanced. Here’s why:
- Cloud providers handle system updates and security patches automatically, ensuring apps are up-to-date.
- When you run apps in the cloud, those apps get backed up. If a natural disaster, hardware failure or cyberattack were to occur, your information would be recoverable. (More on that later.)
- Many cloud providers use threat detection systems to identify and mitigate potential risks before they impact your applications.
Not too shabby, cloud!
2. Guard them with multifactor authentication.
Multifactor authentication (MFA), also known as two-factor authentication, establishes that the person logging in is the person who is supposed to be logging in.
And if you’re asking, “Isn’t that what a username and password do?” the answer is yes…but today, that’s not enough. Usernames are easy to figure out, as they’re usually just email addresses. And unfortunately, most people don’t practice good password hygiene. They’re hard to remember, so people will often keep them simple and then reuse them across multiple sites. This makes passwords incredibly easy to hack.
But with MFA, even if the hacker has access to your username and password, they still won’t be able to gain access to your application or account.
As the name suggests, MFA applications use more than one kind of factor to confirm your identity. They use:
- Something you know: A password or PIN number.
- Something you have: Usually, your phone.
- Something you are: A fingerprint or facial recognition.
Sometimes, websites or applications have a built-in authenticator (think: your bank texting you a code when you log in from a new device). But when an app doesn’t have an authentication method, you need to request that your IT team set one up for you.
Are authenticator apps secure?
Yes. Authenticator apps provide an additional layer of security beyond passwords, are considered more secure than SMS-based authentication and are a much better option than having no secondary user identification at all.
3. Ensure the devices they run on remain secure.
Also known as endpoint security, this type of security covers all devices that you use to access applications—workstation, computer, tablet, phone, etc.
Devices alone lack the proper safeguards companies need to keep information private and secure.
The security providers you need protect a company’s devices from cyberattacks by using a multi-layered approach:
- Antivirus software: A program that searches and helps detect, prevent and remove a hacker-borne virus on your device.
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is extra, next-level protection on top of antivirus software. This technology monitors for signs of a vulnerability or zero-day threats and alerts the impacted party immediately.
- Drive encryption: A technology that scrambles or makes data unreadable to unauthorized users.
- Ongoing monitoring and response: A team of security experts dedicated to continuous system monitoring. (Should something go awry, this is the team that would help remediate the situation.)
4. Stay knowledgeable about the latest cyberattack tactics.
Employee security is more than just background checks at the time of hire. As employees, we are our company’s number one security risk.
Why? Because we’re busy either keeping the lights on or the customers/bosses/clients happy. This fast pace has translated into less time for everything else, like…keeping up with training or paying attention to our inbox (which, these days, is a phish-covered lake).
We must be more diligent. As our company’s number one security risk, we’re also one of its best application security “tools.”
Security awareness training helps us do just that. It’s the ongoing and best way to keep our systems safe and private information secure.
But don’t think it’s up to you to go out and scour the internet for the best ways to prevent cyberattacks. The easiest method to establish employee security is to find a managed service provider that provides security awareness training.
Look for a security awareness training provider with experience in:
- Vertical-specific security: If you’re working for an accounting firm, look for security awareness training that’s specific to accounting firms.
- Ongoing training: Keep things fresh and relevant by finding a provider who’s equipped to educate on an ongoing monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
- Simulated attacks: Watching a video about phishing is important, but the only real way to learn is by doing. Find a provider who simulates phishing attacks to test employees’ security awareness in their specific field.
5. Back up everything with automatic backup software.
Backup software—so important, but so often forgotten when it comes to application security. “Security” isn’t just the before-the-event, preventative measures we deploy. It’s also the after-the-fact, “now what?” steps we must take to ensure we can get back to work like the event never happened.
Cloud applications provide some backups, but only to a point. Most vendors have a shared responsibility model.
A shared service model agreement means the cloud application company is replicating data, but they’re not storing data for quick restoration. This means:
- There’s no guarantee about when you’ll get access to lost data.
- There’s no guarantee that the data you need is even in storage.
- Data backups may not go back far enough for your needs.
If you lose data, it could be days before you get it restored—if you get it restored at all.
Backup software supplements the application by storing more precise information and then makes it easy to restore (in case of data loss).
The best applications require the best security
Security is a never-ending challenge, with no one hard-and-fast rule. In fact, it’s a combination of ever-changing rules—because the security landscape changes every day.
Just as fast as one vulnerability is patched, another pops up. When you think you understand the latest scam, a new swindle emerges.
The best application security tools are the ones that change with the times. By enlisting the help of providers with expertise in a few—if not all—of the above tactics, you’re well on your way to securing your business.
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