Application protection is essential for digital transformation to take place. COVID-19 condensed activities that would have taken years to complete into a few months, and digital initiatives are now a primary business priority for many companies.
Consumers are embracing online and mobile app technologies at a faster rate than ever before, from mobile banking to healthcare to shopping. As applications evolve and businesses embrace digital transformation to generate new income streams but most are still failing to safeguard sensitive data and intellectual property from criminal actors. It might be difficult to strike a balance between a pleasant user experience and the security of mobile and online applications.
The migration of applications to the cloud, the rise of remote employees utilizing cloud-accessed apps, and an increase in the number of vulnerabilities in code were all major developments in the year 2020.
Digital transformation initiatives have become a popular approach for firms to become more flexible and adjust to market changes fast. However, as software development speeds increase and the quantity of apps grows, vulnerabilities may become more widespread. According to WhiteHat Security’s application protection Stats Flash monthly report, industries including manufacturing, IT, and retail each have a substantial number of firms whose applications are constantly susceptible.
70% of manufacturing applications, 56% of IT applications, and 56% of retail apps have at least one severe vulnerability that affects the software during the year.
Risk and Challenges in App Protection
Despite the fact that many employees in modern organizations recognize the necessity of enhancing cybersecurity, digital transformation has caused many businesses to lag behind when it comes to application security. This mistake may result in application vulnerabilities, putting businesses at risk. Here are some of the reasons why businesses are devoting less time and effort to application security.
- Lack of awareness of security risks
- Use of commercial software
- The spread of software applications
- Changes in the rate and approach of application development
How to improve application protection
To address exposures and strengthen Application protection, an organization may take four primary approaches. Here’s a breakdown of each phase and how it benefits a developing business.
Perform a security assessment
The first step towards improvement is to understand what you want to achieve. The understanding of potential exposures is growing as a result of application protection. This necessitates not just the security or software development teams’ understanding, but also that of the rest of the company, particularly top management. A holistic security evaluation can assist an organization in determining which apps require more protection and how to best allocate limited resources. It can also assist a company in accomplishing the following:
- Gain a better understanding of how sensitive information is handled.
- Become aware of the data’s possible security risks.
- Determine whether security concerns on the perimeter or within the application are the source of exposure.
- Recognize the possibility and consequences of exposure.
- Work with top management to prioritize replies.
Understanding how digital transformation can bring application protection vulnerabilities can help companies prevent breaches
The fast growth of digital capabilities opens up exciting new business prospects, but it also introduces new hazards that must be controlled. Understanding the cybersecurity implications of your company’s technology and building proper application security skills are essential to surviving and prospering in today’s technology-driven business climate.
We feel that these are critical considerations for initiating an internal security movement and that this first step may be a valuable support for firms’ digital transformation. We must recognize that the growth of a business model might be carried out in such a way that all parts of the company have progressed in lockstep. We can’t assume that one area will drive a business evolution and the others will follow; instead, we believe that a collaborative strategy, with a focus on Application protection, will provide a far more robust and long-term result.
Working with security experts will help your company in a smooth digital transformation. Get in touch with Build38 to learn more about reducing compliance and brand risks.
