When looking for a solution that can benefit both businesses and individual, custom software development is gaining popularity in big and small enterprises. It can simplify the business process and with fewer resources more things get done and objectives are acheived much faster. But one thing that is mostly overlooked is security. When we talk about software security best practices, buying the latest security tool and calling it a day is not a good idea. We use custom software to serve so many purposes and through the process pass so much sensitive information. We should be obliged to take a hard stance at securing that information, otherwise, it can damage the reputation of a company and cause a huge financial penalty.

At IPSTS, we help clients with custom software development services taking utmost care of its security. We invest in multiple tools along with focused developer training to ensure the overall quality of the software. Let’s find out the 5 best practices to follow for developing a secure custom software:

1.      Patch your systems & Software:

Hackers often try to exploit known vulnerabilities associated with old or out-of-date software. Make sure all your systems have up-to-date patches to avoid getting compromised. While hiring a custom software development company, check if they maintain the security of already published software by going back to the code, scanning it for vulnerabilities and modifying the code whenever it’s needed. This is a good security practice and if your chosen company does not do it regularly, look for more options.

2.      Document security policy:

Regardless of the size of the company, it is very important to have proper security policies in place to ensure the success of custom software. They should also have the policies documented to help protect the organization’s data and other valuable assets. It will help you identify the risks and formalize the process after ensuring that all employees have read, understood and signed the security policies prior to the effective date. Documenting the security policies will also help new employees to know about them during their onboarding process and thus the company can pass on the legacy of security best practices.

3.      Encrypt data & apply access control:

Secure password recovery method, strong password enforcement, and multi-factor authentication are some effective account management practices that should be implemented while building custom software. Proper authentication and access control can vastly reduce the chances of an intruder performing harmful operations. Also, encrypt the sensitive information to protect it from anyone who is not authorized to access it.

4.      Take care of security mis-configurations:

Even when all the security practices in place, mishaps happen. That’s why keep in mind basic security rules. That include removing temporary, default, guest accounts from the web servers, having ports open on the web server unnecessarily, using outdated security level procedures or old software libraries etc. Also, have a robust incident response plan in place as a precaution to detect an attack early and prevent attackers from achieving their mission.

5.      Train your team:

Finally, your team is your last line of defence. Not only the developers but every one of your team should know about basic phishing attacks and social engineering tricks. Educate and train them well about security best practices so that they get aware of any unseen security threat.