We’ve written at length in the past about the myriad of different factors you need to concern yourself with in terms of successful mobile application development. First and foremost, you need to be creating a solution – one that is aimed at solving a genuine problem your end users have or providing value in some way, not a flashy piece of tech in search of a problem in the first place. Likewise, user interface and user experience are critical – especially in the mobile world we’re now living in.
However, there are a few key reasons why it’s now more important than ever for you to prioritize security above all else. Reasons that have powerful implications and that are certainly worth exploring.
The Cyber Security Climate: Today’s Action, Tomorrow’s Impact
One of the most important things to understand about security’s relationship to mobile application development has to do with the natural nexus between these two ideas: the era of BYOD or “bring your own device” workplaces that is now upon us.
According to one recent study, nearly 50% of organizations embraced the BYOD trend at the start of 2018 – up from just 36% a year earlier. It’s clear that this is one trend that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon, but it also presents significant challenges in terms of security.
Any device connected to a network, account or system is a potential vulnerability just waiting to be exploited by someone who knows what they’re doing. Application developers must practice an almost incredible level of care to make sure that theirs is not the “solution” that ends up compromising an entire business due to some unforeseen vulnerability that could have been easily solved during the initial development stages.
On the topic of the larger cyber security climate in general, it’s important to know that things seem poised to get worse before they get better. “The threat landscape is changing at an extremely rapid pace” said Zack Wilkinson, Cybersecurity Manager at American Software. “It’s changing so fast that it is becoming more and more difficult for organizations to keep their security up to date with the new and evolving threats.” Recent statistics certainly agree with that sentiment.
In 2018, there was approximately one hacker attack every 39 seconds. Nearly one out of every three Americans became a target. 43% of all cyber attacks went after small businesses specifically.
Part of the reason that last number is so high has to do with the ways in which our infrastructures are connected in a more organic way than ever before. Data no longer exists in a silo – it’s constantly being created and shared, passed back and forth between countless sources over the course of a day in an effort to make our lives better. If any one of those sources is breached – like, say, your mobile app – the entire infrastructure becomes compromised as a result.
Make no mistake about it: the cyber security situation is becoming more dire every day. Attacks are going to increase in both frequency and severity as time goes on. The situation is as bad as it has ever been, but luckily the solutions to this larger issue are also clear as well. Everyone – from mobile app developers to the end users they serve – must come together to take the most proactive stance on cyber security possible. That requires not only a belief in the importance of cyber security, but also an awareness for all of the latest threats that an organization like yours (and your end users) might face. Zack Wilkinson continued: “You can put all the latest and greatest software and hardware in place you want, but none of that matters if an unaware user falls victim to a phishing attempt or unknowingly allows a hacker to walk right into the server room. That’s why user awareness is so critical.”
There’s an old saying that reminds us “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” That is perhaps the perfect metaphor for the security-related challenges we now face. Why do you need to prioritize security more than ever? Because no matter what, you cannot allow your efforts to become that “weak link” for somebody else.
Questions about cyber security and how we can help? Contact us.
Image by FreePik.com
