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From streamlined operations to reduced costs to improved efficiency, low-code development platforms are benefiting businesses of all shapes and sizes in numerous ways. And that’s why the adoption and deployment of these platforms is growing by leaps and bounds and shows no sign of slowing down.
You can observe the growth of this advanced technology from the fact that the global low-code market revenue was $26.9 billion in 2023, which is expected to increase to $31.9 billion by 2024 and $187.0 billion by 2030.
Undoubtedly, low-code development’s agility and simplicity in creating faster applications make it one of the most promising app development technologies.
However, it’s also important to know that low-code apps are vulnerable to many security risks that must be addressed effectively to protect your applications and data.
So, if you’re an organization or IT leader planning to invest in a low-code development platform to create custom applications to meet your users needs, it’s critical to understand the importance of low-code security.
In this post, we’ll talk about the most common security concerns associated with this type of development as well as share some best practices you can follow to prevent those challenges and risks. Let’s get started!
Potential Challenges and Risks of Low-Code
Regulatory Compliance and Governance
With the easy-to-use features of low-code technology, more and more non-IT experts in an organization, like marketers, sales representatives, and back office staff, are creating their own apps related to content management, document management and lending softwares.
Although this is a great way to boost productivity in the digital world, it also raises some security concerns. Low-code technology gives much freedom, but if not used carefully, it might weaken the overall security.
The organization becomes vulnerable to security risks if a professional or a citizen developer creates an app without following the rules and guidelines. The risk might include exposing personal login details or sending sensitive data to an uncontrolled location.
Security Risks and Data Protection
Depending on how you build your computer programs, some vital information might leak out without you wanting it to. This can happen when you share access to your company’s data with others or when your programs automatically send information from one to another.
If you’re not careful, low-code systems might accidentally reveal sensitive details, especially if the people making the programs don’t know that the information is being copied to less secure places.
Also, low-code development might have secret things like usernames, passwords, or special codes to access other systems. Sometimes, this personal information is not kept safe and could be seen by the wrong people.
If these secrets are not managed well, bad people might grab them, or the company could get in trouble for not following the rules about keeping information safe.
Poor Data Visibility
Low-code platforms have a tricky part – they don’t let users see the main code that the service providers manage. This makes it hard to find potential problems that could harm the system.
Also, in low-code, sometimes the people using the apps don’t know which ones are being made or used. Some platforms even let regular users make apps in places the people in charge can’t see.
To keep low-code safe, people making apps need to be careful about where they get their tools and only use trusted ones. It’s also essential to be really careful about who can see and change data in the apps.
Low-code systems have particular layers to control who gets data access, ensuring only the right people can use it. And good low-code platforms have built-in checks to follow security rules like PCI, HIPAA, and FedRAMP.
Limited internal cybersecurity knowledge
The easy-to-use nature of low-code development platforms brings a built-in risk to any organization’s security. As non-tech experts can make apps easily using the simple interface of low-code platforms, they might not be aware of the potential dangers.
These users often create apps with various issues like problems with keeping information safe, making sure only the right people can use the app and more.
These risks can lead to cybersecurity issues, including pretending to be someone else, misusing access, accidentally sharing data, etc. Knowing about these risks is like having a guide to help organizations avoid common pitfalls and keep their information safe.
Integration complexity
Even though low-code platforms are made to be easy and quick, they might not be as good at connecting with other software compared to the regular ones. This can be a problem if you need your app to work with other systems, like customer databases or business tools.
An alternative could be using the usual way of making software or choosing a low-code platform that’s really good at connecting with different systems.
By considering your project needs, you can decide if low-code is the right way to go or if you should try something else. The main thing is to pick the way of building apps that fits your project the best and gives you the desired results.
5 Strategies to Overcome Low-Code Security Challenges and Risks
Choose the Right Low Code Application Platform
For secure and efficient application development, choosing a low-code platform with a strong focus on safety is vital.
Look for platforms that come with built-in security features, like
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Making sure your data is encrypted,
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Controlling who can access what,
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and having good ways to check if someone is who they say they are.
Also, it’s smart to choose platforms that promise to update often to handle new security problems. Make sure the platform follows the rules and standards set for your type of work and where you’re doing it.
If you’re looking for a low-code development platform, NewgenONE might be your perfect choice.
But why Newgen?
It lets you quickly create powerful applications for web and mobile with an easy-to-use interface.
You can build apps without needing to be a coding expert, making it faster and simpler.
With features like secure data handling, collaboration tools, and fast deployment, NewgenONE helps you create high-quality applications efficiently.
Prevent Data Exposure and Leakage
A big issue when using low-code or no-code apps is that your data might be seen or leaked because of how the apps handle information and manage data storage. Most companies that provide data don’t give special safety features like encryption, which keeps data private, or data masking, which hides some details.
To keep your low-code or no-code apps safe, it’s important not to let them be open to everyone. Placing them behind a safety system, such as a content delivery network or cloud access security broker, is a smart move. This system monitors the data as it moves, enhancing overall security.
And if your low-code or no-code platform can watch what’s happening, it’s wise to turn that on. This helps the security and operations teams see where the data is going and if everything is working.
Improve Visibility
To make things more transparent and safer in low-code app building, improving how much you can see what’s happening is crucial. Here’s what we can do: First, choose platforms that keep good records of everything happening.
Look for ones that show who uses the app and what they do. Use a system like a content delivery network that watches over every time someone uses the app.
This lets you know more about what’s happening and keep things secure. It’s like turning on more lights to see better and ensure everything is okay.
Educate Developers
Educating developers on low-code security is crucial to building robust and secure applications. By understanding the features and limitations of the low-code platform, your developers can create applications within safe boundaries, avoiding unintentional mistakes and recognizing potential security risks.
This knowledge empowers them to build applications with solid defenses, preventing unauthorized access and addressing vulnerabilities.
Moreover, fostering a shared understanding among your developers promotes teamwork, creating a collaborative environment for building secure applications and making the world of low-code development a safer and more enjoyable space for all.
Perform Frequent Testing
Regular testing is the backbone of ensuring the robustness of low-code development security. Through practices like penetration testing and application vulnerability assessments, development teams can proactively pinpoint and address potential vulnerabilities.
These tests act as a security safety net, preventing malicious actors from exploiting weaknesses in the system. By making testing a routine, developers create a continuous feedback loop, fine-tuning security measures and fortifying applications against evolving threats.
This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of security breaches, ensuring the reliability and resilience of low-code applications in the ever-changing digital landscape.
Final Thoughts
Worried about security issues in low-code development? No need to stress!
With a strategic approach, you can effectively mitigate potential threats.
The above strategies on the top low-code security challenges will equip you with the knowledge to navigate these issues.
If you have any questions, our experts are here to help.
Dealing with these concerns early on is super important and can save you a lot of time and effort. So, feel free to reach out, and let’s make your low-code journey smooth and secure!
