Web Developers’ Shield of Cybersecurity

The World Wide Web (WWW) has existed for a very long time now, ever since its development from the 1990s or also called “Web 1.0”, where websites are read-only and lacking of user interactivity, it has now evolved into the websites we all know today, which is called “Web 3.0” or the Semantic Web, where dynamic websites have come to play and user-generated content became a possibility. However, the evolution of the World Wide Web also came with its own challenges, and Web Developers need to find a way to fend off these cybersecurity threats.

We first have to know what kind of cybersecurity threats the web developers are facing: These include Malware, Phishing Attacks, Ransomware, Data Breaches, and many more, and the effects of these threats can be data theft, identity theft, or others that may lead to financial losses or even reputational damage. These threats also evolve with the advancement of the Web. So what kind of actions to take against these threats? The best action to take is called “Secure Coding”.

“Secure coding standards govern the coding practices, techniques, and decisions that developers make while building software. They aim to ensure that developers write code that minimizes security vulnerabilities. Development tasks can be solved in many different ways, with varying levels of complexity. Some solutions are more secure than others, and secure coding standards encourage developers and software engineers to take the safest approach, even if it is not the fastest.” (Tori Thurmond, December 27, 2023). Indeed, such practices and techniques should be applied in development, as preventing them from happening is better than solving them when they occur, like the saying “safety is better than cure”. After all, most data breaches actually occur due to the lack of security in coding practices. There are many ways to practice secure coding, and such examples are:

• Security by Design: Developing code should be done WITH security, not BEFORE security. Development with security in mind tends to pay off in the long run, since it may reduce future financial losses and mitigate risks.

• Password Management and Access Control: Passwords should be managed very strictly as it is the “key” to most software systems. So multi-factor authentications must be put into place as well as create passwords with enough length and complexity. Access should also be managed strictly by applying a “default-deny” approach, and denying any user without authorization to sensitive data.

• Error Handling and System Configuration: Errors in software are often a sign of bugs that may cause vulnerabilities. Error handling is a technique where errors are caught and mitigated before they cause any major problems. System Configuration is also an important technique that ensures all active software is working properly and up to date. After all, outdated software are more prone to data breaches.

There are many more tools and techniques in applying the practices for secure coding. After all, information about them can also be found on the internet itself. Make sure to research and study more about security practices for coding and create a shield of cybersecurity that may protect you and your software at all times.