Applications have a critical place within organizations. They help generate revenue, are a part of workflows, and they collect data. As companies rely on them more and more and they become ingrained in business processes, the question of security arises. Businesses who’ve never given application security a second thought are now concerned with the risks these applications bring with them. While it’s known that some sort of security measures are needed, it’s less obvious how to go about implementing them.
Drivers Behind a Strong Application Security Strategy
Of all the drivers behind a strong application security strategy, the threat of a data breach is a large one. When new applications are deployed, IT organizations and vendors increase the size of the risk landscape, which creates new targets for attackers. With security vulnerabilities in applications present, it only takes one to severely damage a company. If a vulnerability is exploited by an attacker, it can have legal ramifications. There would also be the cost of remediation and a loss of shareholder and customer trust, which does enough damage in itself.
Next to data breaches, handling customer information properly is a key concern behind an application security strategy, along with the pressure to pass security or compliance audits. Applications collect tons of data, many of it relating to customers and their personal information, such as address, contact information, or even credit card numbers. This information must be safeguarded in order to meet regulatory compliance requirements and to preserve the privacy of customers.
Despite the good reasons to have a security strategy in place, organizations are struggling to implement a formal one. In a survey conducted by IDG Research Services, 46% of respondents said their organizations are trying to protect their applications, but they don’t have a formal, clear strategy set. Eight percent haven’t started working on a strategy at all. Only one-quarter of respondents have a formal application security strategy.
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Obstacles Organizations are Facing
Application security challenges can be placed into two main categories: a lack of resources and an unclear direction. When put together—and even a part—these challenges make it incredibly difficult for businesses to move forward with a strategy, particularly if they are small or medium sized.
With no funding available, companies have no way of investing in their staff to boost their security skill sets and specialized security knowledge. Courses, especially of a specialized nature, can be costly, and often times there is no money to spare in an already limited budget. Without employees with the required skills or time for that matter, businesses won’t be able to thoroughly test applications and identify security vulnerabilities.
Many companies don’t possess IT resources that can fulfill the complex aspects of an application security program. A managed service provider, such as ACSI, has the experience, technology, and manpower to help organizations create, implement, and maintain a complete application security strategy. We can help you determine how security fits into your new processes and which direction is best for you. Contact us to learn more about how we can assist you.
