Ensuring Robust Security in Low Code Development Practices

Posted on February 1st, 2024 | SSG

With increasing demands and heightened expectations, the public sector faces constant pressure to modernize its digital infrastructure and streamline its operations. In light of this challenge, low-code development platforms have emerged as game-changers.

Low-code development platforms democratize app development, empowering organizations to build and deploy applications with minimal coding. However, the enhanced ease of development and reduced time-to-impact of these digital solutions can come with security concerns. Public sector data is highly-sensitive, and any breach can have far-reaching consequences.

Below, we explore these low-code application security concerns and outline key strategies for public health agencies to build secure applications without compromising agility.

Navigating the landscape of low code security

Navigating the landscape of low-code security can be challenging for public health agencies for several reasons, such as:

Lack of low-code security expertise: While public health IT departments typically have strict policies in place, they may not be fully aware of potential security risks or best practices for low-code development and deployment.
Siloed security features: Public health agencies may use different low-code platforms and applications for different purposes and functions. Each may have its own security features, capabilities, limitations, and requirements, making it difficult to maintain a consistent and comprehensive security posture across the related programs.
Rapidly changing needs and demands: Public health agencies often develop and deploy low-code applications quickly and frequently to respond to the public health landscape’s changing needs and demands. This can increase the chances of introducing security errors and vulnerabilities in low-code applications. In addition, this dynamic environment can make it harder to keep track of security updates for the low-code components.

With SSG’s deep understanding of public sector needs, we prioritize low code application platform security through features like multi-factor authentication, role-based access control, and secure data encryption. This foundation allows developers to build secure applications.

Identifying and mitigating security risks in low code development

Below are some common low-code development risks:

Vulnerable and untrusted components: Low-code platforms may rely on external components or libraries that aren’t verified or updated regularly. This could introduce vulnerabilities or backdoors that could compromise the security or functionality of the applications.
Authorization misuse: Some low-code platforms may not have sufficient access control policies or role-based permissions to limit what users can do or see within the applications. This could result in unauthorized actions, data leakage, or privacy violations.

SSG helps organizations with secure practices, vulnerability scanning, and low-code security automation. We invest in ongoing security assessments to stay ahead of emerging threats, ensuring our clients and their public health data can reap the benefits of digitizing their processes while still mitigating risks when using our platform.

Best practices for enhancing low code security in application development

Here are some best practices and strategies for navigating the landscape of low-code security:

Conduct security assessments and audits: Regular security testing and reviews allow organizations to identify and remediate any security issues or gaps. In addition, monitoring and auditing the activities and logs of users and applications enable them to promptly detect and respond to any anomalies.
Ensure compatibility in security solutions and services: Public health agencies should use security solutions and services compatible with their low-code platforms and applications. These solutions and services could include security scanning, encryption, firewall, antivirus, backup, recovery, and cloud security.

SSG is your partner in proactively addressing security concerns, allowing your organization to leverage the full potential of low-code development without compromising critical data and workflows.

Triumphs and tribulations in implementing low code security

Successfully implementing low-code security involves the following challenges:

Balancing agility and security: Finding the right balance between rapid development and thorough security testing can be tricky, particularly with public sector programs that require quick implementation.
Keeping up with evolving threats: Despite its emergence, low-code development is still in its early stages, as is the knowledge about associated security risks. This requires developers and IT security teams to keep learning and adapting to evolving threats.
Interoperability: Low-code apps often integrate with various systems and services, including third-party APIs and cloud-based resources. Each integration point can introduce potential vulnerabilities if not properly managed.

However, with robust security measures, low-code development offers the following wins:

Faster time-to-market: Secure low-code platforms with built-in security features and pre-configured templates enable developers to build secure applications quicker, accelerating time-to-market and boosting organizational agility.
Simplified management and increased efficiency: Centralized security controls and automated low code platform security scans enable simpler management and oversight across all touchpoints. This can free up IT resources, improving overall operational efficiency.
Enhanced collaboration: Secure low-code platforms like SSG’s Casetivity facilitate collaboration between developers, IT teams, and users, fostering a culture of shared responsibility for application development and security.

When users know their data is secure, they’re more likely to trust and use low-code applications. This security assurance enables organizations to respond quickly to changing market needs and optimize public health outcomes.

The future of low code development

Low-code development is creating a public health transformation, and SSG is at the forefront of this evolution. SSG provides public health software that empowers its clients to accelerate digital transformation while safeguarding sensitive data and strengthening public trust.

Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of low-code development and unlock efficient, agile, and secure processes for your organization.