In the digital era, the need for application security is crucial amid the increasing ease of use and accessibility of sophisticated applications at anytime and anywhere. This convenience certainly brings great benefits, but it also poses serious threats, especially to the business world. Often, companies face threats such as cyber-attacks and increasingly complex data breaches.
Without an adequate application security system, hackers can easily find loopholes and vulnerabilities in your application, allowing the theft of important information that can be used for their own benefit.
Want to know what steps you can take to avoid app security risks? Find out more in this article.
What is Application Security?
Application security is an approach involving software, hardware, and procedures to protect applications from external threats. The high number of applications accessed online makes them increasingly vulnerable to threats, thus requiring security systems to mitigate risks such as unauthorized access, theft, modification, and deletion of critical data.
The Importance of Application Security for Businesses
Application security vulnerabilities in Indonesia and worldwide are continually increasing as attack methods become more sophisticated. According to Cloudfare‘s Q2 2023 report, application attacks often occur faster than the time required to implement mitigation measures.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are the most common against web applications. In Q1 2024, Cloudflare handled 4.5 million unique DDoS attacks, indicating that this threat remains highly significant.
Another reason why application security needs more attention is the dependence on applications. Companies across all sectors are heavily reliant on applications, making them prime targets for attackers. Moreover, application developers face the challenge of innovating quickly, which can sometimes compromise security aspects.
The emergence of various new software is not always beneficial. New applications are often too complex to be tested with traditional application security systems, which can cause bottlenecks in the development pipeline and increase application security risk. Therefore, it is essential to implement a reliable, comprehensive, and effective application security system.
10 Types of Application Security Threats
Here are ten common types of application security threats and their consequences.
1. Unauthorized Access
Unauthorized access occurs when users enter your system, application, or data illegally. This can happen through various attacks, such as exploiting security vulnerabilities or credential stuffing. Once inside, hackers can steal your login information, access, modify, and execute harmful commands. This is one of the most common threats and can be caused by other attacks.
2. Data Breaches
Important company data such as customer information, finances, and trade secrets can be exposed due to system misconfiguration, cyber-attacks, or human error. Internal parties can also cause data leaks, either intentionally or unintentionally.
These data leaks can cost a company financially, damage its reputation, and lead to legal issues. As data leakage is a common threat, it is important to increase monitoring and security to avoid this risk.
3. Malware and Viruses
Malicious software (malware) and viruses are programs designed to damage or disrupt computer systems. Malware can include Trojan, ransomware, spyware, and adware, while viruses typically spread by attaching themselves to programs or files. Both threats can significantly damage data and operations. One of the recent malware incidents is the Pusat Data Nasional (PDN) attack in Indonesia.
4. DDoS Attacks
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are the next application threat. This attack can flood the network with high traffic. As the service becomes unavailable, the server becomes overloaded and eventually crashes. DDoS can be triggered by financial or political motives.
5. Insider Threats
Threats can also come from within the company, such as from employees, former employees, or business partners. They may have access to systems and data, leading to harmful actions, such as data theft, either intentionally or unintentionally. These threats are often harder to detect. To avoid this, you can restrict access or permission to critical information.
6. SQL Injection
SQL injection attacks occur when attackers inject malicious code into an application’s database through user input fields. This can give hackers access to sensitive data, such as passwords and personal information, and allow them to manipulate or delete data.
Mitigation steps for SQL injection include validating user input, using output encoding, and employing prepared statements, parameterized queries, and stored procedures instead of dynamic SQL.
7. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Attackers can insert malicious code or scripts into a website. When executed, these scripts can steal data. XSS can be reflective or stored, with reflective XSS executed immediately and stored XSS executed later.
Using modern web frameworks can help protect against these coding practices.
8. Phishing Attacks
Phishing occurs when an attacker pretends to be an authority to trick victims, usually through fake emails and websites. When you click on the information provided there, the system automatically installs malware, allowing hackers to easily steal your data.
Phishing attacks in Indonesia have shown a significant increase in recent years. Based on data from SOCRadar, nearly 20,000 phishing attacks have been detected in Indonesia since the beginning of 2021, representing a 38 percent increase over 2020. Phishing mostly targets digital industries such as e-commerce, fintech, and cloud services.
9. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
In Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks, an attacker intercepts communication between two parties. This third party can alter the communication, allowing data to be intercepted. These attacks often occur on unsecured networks like public Wi-Fi. Therefore, you should not access sensitive information using public WiFi services.
10. Zero-Day Attacks
Zero-day attacks exploit unknown software vulnerabilities. Attackers use these vulnerabilities to strike before developers can patch them. Zero-day risks are high because no mitigations are available, and targets are often unprepared. You can apply Threat Intelligence to detect these potential threats.
6 Steps to Protect Applications from Risks
To prevent risks from the above threats, you can take several proactive steps. Here are six effective steps to protect applications.
1. Educate Employees on Adequate Security Protocols
Educating employees is crucial for building a security culture within the company. Train them to recognize various threats such as phishing, malware, and other cyber-attacks. They are also taught to use strong passwords, implement multi-factor authentication, and understand the importance of data confidentiality. With this knowledge, employees will be more vigilant and prepared to face potential risks.
2. Use a Layered Security Approach
Use a multi-faceted approach by combining various security systems, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, data encryption, and multi-factor authentication. This approach can create a multi-layered security setup for applications. If one layer fails, you still have other layers of protection. Therefore, this approach can establish a more robust and difficult-to-penetrate defense system.
3. Thoroughly Test Applications
Thorough application testing is a critical step to ensure the security and quality of applications before deployment. This process involves penetration testing, source code analysis, and automated security testing.
By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities during the development stage, applications are made more secure and stable for use. Regular testing is also important to maintain application security.
4. Install Adequate Security Systems
Install adequate security systems such as firewalls, antivirus software, and network monitoring tools. These systems help detect and prevent threats before they cause damage. It is crucial to ensure that these systems are properly configured and regularly updated to remain effective. Outdated or improperly configured systems can open gaps for attacks.
5. Choose Trusted Vendors
Select trusted hardware and software vendors, such as certified cloud providers. Opt for providers specializing in specific or comprehensive security threats. Choosing the right vendor reduces vulnerability risks. Verify and monitor the integrity of the components used.
6. Regularly Update Systems
Ensure systems are regularly updated with the latest patches and updates. These updates provide the latest protection services to address complex attacks. New systems can effectively prevent exploitation by new threats that may exploit existing weaknesses. Therefore, ensuring that all systems and software receive the latest updates is a vital part of a proactive security strategy.
Also Read: Be Prepared for These 5 Cybersecurity Trends in 2024
Protect Your Business from Security Risks with CTI Group
As a leading company in the IT industry, CTI Group is ready to help you protect and secure your business from application security vulnerabilities. CTI Group provides trusted and comprehensive solutions for web application security and other security needs. Consult your business needs with our professional IT team by clicking this link.
Author: Anggita Olivia Herman – Content Writer CTI Group
