A no-code system does not necessarily equate to a low-risk system. No-code development allows more people in an enterprise to create applications, hiding security problems.
New applications can be deployed faster with low-code and no-code development, and non-technical users can develop them. It’s not new. The number of tools and platforms built into platforms like Microsoft’s Office 365, Google’s G Suit, and force are growing as the number of cloud-based platforms for building mobile and web applications increases.
The development platforms they replace are often more secure than their technologies. Cloud vendors can enforce global access control and permissions while providing organizations with a single view of what all employees are doing with their data. However, 67% of Forrester survey respondents cite security as their number one challenge when adopting a No-code development platform.
Security concerns associated with Low-Code and No-Code development
One of the critical aspects of low-code and no-code development to discuss before security concerns and solutions is terminology. First, there is no such thing as “code-free” as there are no code-free apps. It is like an atom in the body, and the term codeless symbolizes code hidden from the developer in modules or components.
Furthermore, low code requires writing fewer than 100 lines to create your app. That’s why such an approach is appealing to non-technical small business owners. However, security concerns are to keep in mind when using low-code development platforms.
Experts believe enterprises should consider these security concerns about low-code apps.
Problem of Inheritance
The biggest concern is how an application or software is developed using reusable code for low-code and no-code development. This code has no security, and novice developers could reuse it without accessing the source code. As a result, new applications also have underlying code security issues and vulnerabilities.
Developers have access to stable and reliable code and can use the code in these libraries as a component of their software. However, the code must be safe before being reused. Trusted vendors ensure availability, fault tolerance, and recoverability by securing your code in various ways.
Security techniques such as static analysis and automated penetration testing improve overall code quality and help detect critical vulnerabilities.
At the same time, low-code solutions allow users to write their code to enhance the platform’s capabilities when they do not want to take advantage of ready-made code.
Visibility issues
Companies do not monitor employee development as well as they should with low-code technology. Managing what’s being built can be difficult if you can’t see the IT side of things, and your organization may lose sight of its security needs.
A large portion of it involves simplifying the codeless process so that untrained personnel can use it. In traditional software development, professionals and developers work together on a single code throughout the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) to develop a wide variety of AppSec applications to protect, protect, and mitigate risks. Security personnel needs to access critical data and monitor activity to ensure these processes are possible.
The organization extracts information and stores it in a code-free environment in an internal architecture such as Microsoft Excel. However, these are out of control and have different guidelines and practices, resulting in lower security protocols. Imagine a situation where you could easily apply a no code application tool to your desktop, even if no one knows your employees.
An organization can solve this problem by providing visibility into application development. For a no-code workplace, this can be done through a cloud solution. Cloud-based platforms offer visibility and monitoring opportunities by streamlining workflows. Organizations can then implement guidelines and security practices for secure application development based on their organization’s requirements.
Business logic mistakes
No-code platforms typically have built-in permissions and access control capabilities based on customer preference insights and analysis. This makes it easy to build secure apps.
Ignoring the IT side and looking at software development from a business perspective causes problems. This is not unusual. This is a non-technical task and could be considered less relevant to actual code, depending on how simplified application creation is. However, all technologies always have associated security risks.
People make mistakes on no-code platforms when they’re lost in the creative or business vacuum. Business logic problems are primarily caused by human error and are not detectable by the tool. Hackers and cybercriminals can manipulate even unwanted behavior. First, share your data with colleagues you don’t know, post sensitive company information on public platforms, or leak consumer data to close family members.
Keeping business logic flaws at bay should become a company-wide priority as the IT team grows. This can be trivial or very serious. In traditional software development, companies plan comprehensive application security programs to test the integrity of system networks. You can achieve your organization’s security goals by applying these practices to low-code and no-code environments.
Deficiency of control
Most no-code platforms allow developers to quickly develop mobile apps and software without increasing coding or flexibility. However, access control is a big problem. For example, enterprise-based software or applications have cross-platform access policies that give developers complete control over the system.
The no-code platform also gives users complete control over their data. This is a problem for developers looking to make quick changes for security purposes.
Choosing a vendor who offers all the pre-built security measures you need for your development tools may be most effective. Use a vendor that provides pre-built Identity and Access Management (IAM) if you use a low-code development tool.
This provides a secure codebase and access control management for your application. Granular access control is a more comprehensive way of using parameters to determine who can and cannot access specific data and resources based on job role, user, or department. This controlling access and app permissions are essential, primarily when businesses handle large amounts of data.
Ensure your no-code solution provides administrative capabilities to manage users and application permissions on sensitive information, monitor system health and health, and allocate resources based on job roles.
