Today the way of doing business has been completely transformed all thanks to new and innovative technological solutions. These technological solutions have replaced the outdated techniques of business with a more efficient and effective ones. No matter what the size of the business is, every business big or small has to embrace the technological changes if they wish to survive in the long run. These technological innovations are keys for making their place in the highly intense competitive market and this applies to businesses operating in different industries. From time to time, new solutions are coming up to ease the life of not only the business but also provide maximum satisfaction to the customers. But there is one technological change that has no competition is the app for business.
Today everything has moved to online mode because of digitization. This creates numerous opportunities for the business and thus through appropriate app development, the business can tap into these opportunities that earlier used to go unnoticed. The use of a business app can help the business in expanding their customer base and also it provides the business with the opportunity of serving their customers in the best possible way. The business is not only the winner as customers have equally benefitted from the introduction of apps. Now the constraints of time and place have been removed thus giving all the convenience and ease in the world. There is no stop when it comes to the benefits of the mobile business app but this gift of technology is not free from its downsides.
The biggest downside of a business app is the application security and there is no denying it is something that worries not only the business but also the customers. Apps contain vital information about business and customers which makes them the number one target of cyber-attacks. Hackers today thanks to technological changes are now in a better position in attacking the valuable information of business and without a solid plan; the business cannot stop these attacks from happening. The consequences of loss of such data are huge as it might hinder business operations, affect customers’ confidence in the business, and in the worst-case scenario, the business might struggle to survive. Thus business with weak app security is prone to various risks and threats from which business might never recover. Some of the consequences of weak application are mentioned below:
- Customer Information Leaked: The mobile app is the storehouse of customer information. Everything from customer name, contact number, card number, address, etc. is stored in the mobile app. The customer puts lots of trust and confidence in your business while providing all the confidential information in the hope that the business will keep this information safe and in no way it will be leaked. But the business with weak security app fails to keep this promise. This is because hackers can easily exploit the weak points of mobile apps and get sensitive information.
- Misuse of information: A business app consists of various types of information pertaining to different areas of business. This information is crucial for businesses in devising strategy and making an informed decision. Thus such information forms the basis for a business important course of action as well as survival. Misuse of this information is a nightmare for the business and business with weak security is in no position in safeguarding against these. This is because they cannot stop the hackers from stealing and using the information for their own advantage.
- Loss of financial information: The prime motive behind the cyber-attack is financial and with weak application security, the hackers can easily fulfill this motive by stealing all the financial data such as credit-debit card numbers, bank account details, and such information. The hackers may also try to manipulate such information. The loss of financial data puts the survival of business jeopardizes and thus shows the importance of security tools.
- Loss of intellectual property rights: Intellectual property rights are vital for any business app. A business puts lots of effort time and money into developing the right application for the business that will help in their growth and development. But with weak application security, hackers can easily steal intellectual property and thus use it for making duplicate apps. This can seriously damage the business but with strong security, the business can protect itself from such unwanted events.
Hence these are some of the major consequences that one has incurred because of a weak security app. These consequences will make it difficult for the business to make their felt in the dynamic market conditions. Thus developing an app for business is not enough as one has to ensure that it is highly secure from various types of cyber-attacks. To do so one must keep certain factors in mind for ensuring the highest level of security. These are:
- Strong Codes: The basic yet most important thing is to ensure that strong codes are used in developing the app otherwise anyone can easily crack the code thus take advantage of the weak app. Coding is the stepping stone for app development and when this is performed with utmost care and vigilance, the chances of the app getting attacks reduces.
- Different Platforms: The various users of the business are going to use the app on different platforms and this is something that must be taken into consideration while developing the app. This will in coming with a business that not functions effortlessly on different platforms but also with maximum security.
- Encryption: Apps works with an external environment which makes them more vulnerable to attacks. Therefore all sensitive data such as login details, the password, etc. should be encrypted properly.
- Testing: Testing is of paramount importance as it will help in revealing all kinds of flaws and thus can be corrected before any major consequences. Even when the app undergoes any update, the testing must also be conducted during that phase as well. The latest technological tools and techniques must be used for testing.
Hence these factors will help the business to overcome the issues associated with weak app security and thus protect it from various cyber-attacks.