Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) data management can include everything from data collection and storage to software integration to sustainability and compliance reporting. Often, this data can be sensitive in nature, including elements such as proprietary formulations or employees’ personal information. With the uptick in cyberattacks and data breaches in recent years, it is more important than ever to keep your EHS data secure. A lack of oversight in cybersecurity can put your company’s quality data at risk. This can cost you time and money, slow down your business operations, and cause you to lose sensitive data. Using these best practices for web application security can help you keep EHS data safe.
Best Practices for Web Application Security
Encrypt Data
Encrypting data encodes your information so that only those who are authorized to access it can get to it. This is a crucial practice in security for any web application, as it can prevent entities with ill-intent from being able to access your sensitive data.
Validate User Input
You will want to use tools to ensure all data put into your fields is properly formed. Having bad data, or even worse, a hostile code, inputted into your system through a data field can create workflow issues or put your application at risk for a cyberattack.
Display Generic Error Messages
When the user faces an error, you will want the system to display a generic error message instead of a detailed system message. Letting the user see system messages not only can frustrate a general user, but can also provide potential hackers with clues for how to access your data.
Apply Access Controls
Access controls make your web application security stronger by safeguarding password access. These measures may include requiring strong passwords, secure password recovery processes, and enforcing multi-factor authentication.
Implement HTTPS
In addition to using data encryption, you should also encrypt data at your server levels. This is done by using HTTPS (as opposed to HTTP) and can be implemented with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. If you are using HTTP, you will want to redirect all traffic to HTTPS.
Use Logging Tools
Most web servers come with auditing and logging tools built in to the user experience. Use these to your benefit. Understanding how your web application is being used is not only good for improving user experience, it can also be a record of possible suspicious activity.
Use a Code Scan Tool
Running a code scan tool can analyze your code and reveal vulnerabilities, an important step in protecting your web application. There are many different tools available that can be employed to scan the code and report errors. You can then use this knowledge to strengthen the security of your code.
Employ Quality Assurance Practices
Using an outside resource for quality assurance can make your web application more secure. A third party can test your application’s security and find possible holes you may have overlooked.
Have an Adaptable Plan
Having a plan for robust cybersecurity is crucial, but this plan should also be adaptable. Internet threats are constantly evolving, and your plan should evolve too, allowing room for new methods and processes to stay ahead of the latest threats.
Get Support
Having secure web applications is crucial for keeping your EHS data safeguarded. Cyberattacks have only increased in recent years, and you need to run your business feeling confident that your sensitive data is protected from threats.
For help in implementing any of these best practices for web application security, contact Tetra Tech’s experts at [email protected]. We can help you find the solutions to support your EHS needs, including data and software integration and custom cloud-based solutions.
