Application Cyber Security Trends – 2022

We all know most cyberattacks target personal information. This is why, more often, they are designed to penetrate applications. For example, the financial sector came across different kinds of attacks on financial web applications, including:

• Data breaches
• Distribution Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks
• Client-side attacks
• Ransomware (RDoS) threats
• Supply chain attacks

These attacks and threats call for more robust application cyber security.

Also known as AppSec, application security comprises everything that protects your software development life cycle (SDLC). This means applies to the following:

• Requirement analysis
• Application design
• Implementation
• Verification
• Software maintenance

So, what are the application security trends 2022 you need to know about? In this post, we’re going to discuss them in detail. Let’s get started.

Application Cyber Security Trends in 2022

1.   Using Proxies

With the surge in malware attacks, more and more people have been using proxies to protect their devices and personal information. Proxies are intermediaries that separate users from general web traffic.

A proxy server protects your identity while you’re surfing the internet. Not only that, but it also filters the web for you and offers shared network connections. 

There are different types of proxies, but we’ll focus on the two major types:

Residential Proxy

Did you know? There are 40 million residential proxies at present. By using a residential proxy, you can choose a specific location for your device and surf the web or use network applications as a real user.

The internet service providers (ISPs) offer IP addresses acquired legally, so they are legitimate addresses. Residential proxies are popular because of the following reasons:

• Residential proxies offer complete access control
• Proxy servers are supported by almost all browsers, so no chances of blockages
• Your information will remain confidential
• You have the flexibility to use multiple applications from a single location
• You don’t need additional hardware to protect your corporate network
• Apart from reducing internet traffic, a proxy server offers data cashing and storage facilities. Moreover, you can balance the internet traffic to avoid crashes.

Data Center Proxy

Datacenter proxies are different from residential proxies in two ways:

• The IP address you use doesn’t belong to any real or physical address
• They don’t belong to any ISP

That said, data center proxies offer complete IP authentication across all the websites. This means your anonymity will not be compromised.

On the other hand, you may have speed issues as datacenter proxy servers can be used by multiple users at the same time.

2.   Implementing Cloud Security Best Practices

Anything can be distributed via the cloud, from applications and analytics to reliable and stable data storage and infrastructure. Today almost every application, especially databases are connected to the cloud. Therefore they need maximum security against cloud attacks.

Despite the traditional ways of infiltrating information, new technologies like Java, Adobe Flash, and WebLogic are frequently used to gain access. 

To avoid these threats, follow these proven tips:

• Educate employees so they can prepare accordingly
• Have a data backup and distribute your applications across different zones
• Use SSO (single sign on) authentication instead of multiple passwords
• Data should be encrypted before it leaves the organization
• Make your password more complex and original. Try multiple password protection or fingerprint technology
• Keep testing your security. Try different penetration methods to make sure your application security is robust.
• Have the right application governance in place

3.   Cyber Security Backed by Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) can counteract cybercrime by pinning down any unusual activity.  Crucially, AI means this can be done in systems that need to cope with thousands of events taking place every second.

So, how can AI-backed application security help you? AI models continuously evolve as they are trained on different datasets. They can identify threats based on the decision tree. However, they need continuous enhancement to be able to tackle the latest threats.

Artificial intelligence is necessary to identify and counter critical cybersecurity threats thus is now being used by many businesses. The predictive powers of artificial intelligence make it the most entrusted here.

4.   Preventing Supply Chain Attacks

One of the most coveted security issues is a supply chain attack. Supply chain attacks occur when a malicious code or software is slipped into a trusted piece of software to corrupt it. You might be wondering how the hackers break in.

Cyber attackers look for loopholes, such as:

• Network protocols that are not secured
• Servers with unprotected infrastructures
• Unsafe coding

With one well-placed intrusion, a springboard to the networks of a supplier’s customers can be exposed.

So, how can you prevent supply chain attacks? Here is a quick list of strategies:

• Identify vulnerabilities in the system and take necessary measures to maximize their security.
• Deploy an effective PAM (Privileged Access Management) system that’s secured.
• Minimize access to sensitive information.
• Implement fake IT resources, like honeypots or honeytokens, to detect malicious activity.
• A higher level of security known as ZTA (Zero Trust Architecture) can maximize protection against supply chain attacks
• To secure your system against data breaches, have antivirus software, multi-factor authentication, and an attack monitoring tool in place

5.   Securing IoT Devices

The growing reality of IoT makes us realize its possible consequences. It increases the possibility of threats in spaces that had never posed cybersecurity risks before.

For example, in the past, attacks have been made using connected household appliances. Attackers can get access to the network using refrigerators, coffee makers, and kettles. But how?

Among other things, vulnerabilities in software and applications can lead to such attacks. As said, hackers can use these applications to steal the owner’s personal information.

So, how can you optimize your IoT devices for security? Follow these tips:

• All data, including credentials, should be mapped
• Ensure maximum security before connecting a device to the network
• Secure each connected device physically as well

Conclusion

The biggest mistake anyone could make is turning their heads on their application or company data security. But, unfortunately, ignorance comes with a price; that price is data leaks.

By now, you must’ve learned all about cybercrime, application security, and every way possible to deal with cybercriminals. That said, the alarming growth in cybercrimes calls for strict security measures.

You must take suitable actions to secure your applications and data. Future-proofing your security strategy can save you a considerable amount of time and money.