As more and more security vulnerabilities emerge online, it is only logical that every software developer should be more mindful of their cybersecurity practices while coding. Cyber security is an old topic that has been brought up countless times but it is still a prevalent problem among organizations worldwide.
There have been a lot of instances that organizations failed to emphasize the importance of cybersecurity awareness and this has led to multiple reputation-damaging security breaches. With this guide, we’ll cover some cybersecurity practices that’s been observed by secure software development outsourcing companies like Ehrlich.
To help software engineers like you stay secure online, here is our developer’s guide for better cyber security:
1. Stay On Top of Cyber Security Trends
If you wish to stay secure online, it is a must to stay on top of cyber security trends. One good way to do this is by following credible tech news sources on social media. You can also keep an eye out for tech company press releases to see if they have released patches to existing and newly discovered vulnerabilities. Tech companies release software and application updates regularly, so keep your eyes peeled.
2. Never Embed Passwords In Code
One common mistake that software developers make is keeping passwords or other secrets in source codes. This risky practice has led to multiple security breaches, including the Mirai malware in 2016, which has compromised more than 400,000 devices.
Embedded passwords allow hackers to exploit the deployment environment and pose serious application security risks. You can also make use of source code security analysis tools to scan your code for vulnerabilities.
3. Keep Secret Keys Private
This may seem like common knowledge, but we’ll emphasize it still: Application Programming Interface (API) secret keys or private keys should be kept private. An exposed security key gives hackers the ability to leak sensitive information, overload the database with post requests, and delete something from your database. You can follow some of the best key management practices outlined by HacWare to keep your secret keys secure.
4. Observe DDos Mitigation & Network Security Practices
As you may know, Distributed Denial-of-Service or DDos attacks is a major concern for companies because they could lead to financial loss or sensitive information. That is why it is encouraged that organizations identify unusual internet traffic and learn other anti-DDos methods to avoid this problem.
5. Boost Security for Microservices
If you’re a developer that utilizes microservices-based designs, you should know that independently deployed functions pose new security challenges as they are stored externally. Moreover, microservice architectures rely on complex API arrangements to communicate information between hundreds or thousands of services.
To ensure your microservices are secure, it’s ideal that you validate redirect URLs, as well as make use of secure sockets and encryption, and refresh tokens. You can also refer to this article to learn more ways to boost the security of your microservices.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility between tech companies and software developers. Just take note: to implement good cybersecurity practices, it is important to start with cybersecurity awareness and training. Cybersecurity practices may seem like an inconvenience at first, but believe us when we say that it’s all worth it in the long run. Keep in mind that a reputation can take years to build, but it can easily be taken down within hours through a security breach.
