Mobile apps have never been more popular. More recently, the trend is not just for businesses to have a mobile app to support their website, but to even adopt the app-only approach for their businesses. And naturally, with every business having their own mobile apps, the chances of standing out from the competition is as slim as they can be.
Many businesses also make the mistake of jumping on the mobile app bandwagon without realising what it really entails. There are many decisions and steps that need to be taken in the correct order to ensure that you don’t just develop and launch a successful app, but also make some money out of it.
If you think your business can benefit from mobile app development, or if you have an idea for a mobile app, below are the steps you need to follow to plan, develop and launch it.
You have been working on it for a few months now. You’ve missed nights out with friends and hardly slept to make your WordPress site a reality. Now that it’s up and running it would be a nightmare if you had to do the same job again as a result of a security breach. To help you avoid this, let’s go over some WordPress security best practices.
Minimize Plugin Use
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One commonly accepted practice is to delete plugins and themes you’re not using. This is all good, but the best way to go about it is to minimize the number of plugins you install from the word go. This not only helps with security but with site performance and speed as well. Identify any plugins that you’re not using or with duplicated functions and delete them. You could also get plugins that combine several features that you need instead of installing several plugins.
Avoid Downloading Pirated Premium Plugins
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plugins. If you’re not getting it from the official source, then avoid it like the plague. Not only is it unethical, it also exposes your WordPress website to malware. The plugin may be laced with malicious code that gives a hacker a direct line to your website’s backend.
Keep WordPress Updated
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Make a point of updating your WordPress installation every time here is a new release. Running an older version of WordPress exposes you to attacks since the security flaws are usually in the public domain. Once a hacker knows what outdated version of WordPress you’re running, they can easily hack into your website. If you find it hard remembering to make updates manually, then you might want to enable automatic updates.
Protect Your Files Using .htaccess
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Now that you have some experience with WordPress, you’ve probably seen or accessed the .htaccess file. Any changes made on this file have site-wide security implications. This file affects permalink structures and security. By inserting code snippets, this file enables and disables the visibility of files within your website’s directory. One of the files you should secure is the wp-config.php since it includes your personal information and other security details.
Monitor Dashboard Activity
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If your website has many users, then you might want to monitor what they are doing on your dashboard. They may not have any malicious intentions but sometimes people make mistakes that can turn costly. Constant monitoring gives you control and allows you to retrace your steps should anything go wrong. You’re able to connect a specific action to an event. For example, if someone uploaded some files, you can easily see if they contained malicious code.
Don’t Use Admin as Your Username
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Most people use the default “admin” username for WordPress administrator. This is the first login hackers will try to use. Make their work a little more complicated by using any other username for administrator. Create a new user with admin rights and delete the old “admin” user.
While all the above are key to keeping your WordPress site secure, make sure to use a reputable host that has put in place the right security measures. Managed hosting Canada is a great option.
If you’re considering creating a mobile app for your business, chances are you have considered how you’ll secure both your data and your customers’. Your mobile app will require quite a bit of plumbing to make it secure. The code, back-end network, databases, user interface, APIs, and the operating system need to work seamlessly for the app to have robust security. Below are some mobile app security best practices you should follow.
Secure the Code from the Ground Up
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As it is with any other software project, the security of your mobile app needs to be a priority from the word go. There is a possibility for vulnerabilities to exist within the app’s source code due to developer error, failure to test, or malicious code insertion by a hacker. For this reason, it is important to encrypt the source code to keep it obfuscated and to test the code for vulnerabilities. Ensure that the code is easy to update and patch since you don’t want users stuck with the old app after a security breach. It is easy to rely on app store approval to determine whether your app is safe. Don’t fall into this trap. The approval processes of app store are not infallible.
Secure the Back-End Network Connections
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Any servers hosting APIs that are being accessed by your app should have the right security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access. You can use containerization to create encrypted containers for storing documents and data. Use the services of a network security expert to test vulnerabilities in your network and guarantee safety of data. Make sure to encrypt all your databases and connections.
Authenticate All Users Before Giving Access
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You should authenticate and authorize all logins by users. A user needs to prove they are who they say they are before being granted access. This helps prevent identity theft and stop hackers in their tracks. If you rely on 3rd party APIs, then you should be cautious since you’re exposing yourself to attacks if they don’t have the right security measures in place. For this reason, you should restrict access to areas of your app that are absolutely necessary to minimize vulnerabilities.
Implement a Mobile Encryption Policy
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If you want your app to perform exceptionally well, you might have to store most of the app’s code and data on the device as opposed to deploying a traditional web app. This way, you will be able to overcome any issues with performance, quality of device, and bandwidth. However, storing data locally comes with its own set of security risks. To prevent data leakage, you need to implement file level encryption to prevent unauthorized access. You should also encrypt all databases and avoid storing very sensitive info such as passwords, credit card info and any other sensitive information on the device.
Test the App
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Testing the app code is an important part of the development process. Do not get caught up in the excitement of getting the app out there and ignore the testing process. Make sure to test for usability, security, and functionality. This will allow you to detect bugs and other mishaps in the app. Do a penetration test by deliberately probing the system or network for weaknesses. Follow that up with an authorization and authentication test. Finally, use emulators to test how the app will perform under various devices, browsers, and operating systems.
The process of keeping your mobile apps secure can be a bit technical so you might want to hire an app developer company to help with the process.
Effective Java (2nd Edition) – A must-read book for every Android developer. This covers in-depth knowledge of app development – from basics to complexities. However, this is not for straight out beginners. I’d advise reading the first 2 books prior purchasing this one.
Official Android development resources should be on your bookmark list. If you are serious about android application development then you need to be a regular reader of these resources by Google Dev.
They announce all the app updates in these resources by Google Dev official and if you are a regular visitor here, you’d learn about API guides, Android NDK, and many such important topics.
3. Coursera
Coursera needs no introduction. Even if you don’t have a prior knowledge of programming, the beginner courses on Coursera will make you a pro in java and android mobile app development.
Udacity is equally as popular as Coursera and has certification courses which will give you nano-degrees on android app development as well as iOS app development.
Apple’s free iOS app development center is one of the best places to learn development and become a developer. From beginner’s guides to video tutorials and step by step documentation – there is pretty much nothing which has been spared by them.
6. Learn From Ben Scheirman of NSScreencast
NSScreencast is Ben Scheirman’s way of giving the passionate iOS developers weekly treats of short but strong video tutorials. He has been doing these bite-sized videos for 5 years now and all of the videos are power pact tutorials on the practical problems of the iOS app development.
The video training program offered by NSScreencast is free on trial basis and costs just $18 per month. It is totally worth it.
What are you waiting for? Get started with the development already!
Are you using WordPress for your website or blog? Great choice.
It’s not only easy to use, it also comes with loads of great features and excellent SEO. This is the reason why it is the number one CMS in the world. However, it does come with some element of risk – hackers. Your site can be infiltrated and used to send phishing emails or host malware, which can lead to the suspension of your website. While this might seem alarming, you can actually prevent it from happening. Here are some tips on the best way to secure WordPress site.
Implement Two-Factor Authentication
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To prevent brute force attacks on your login page, it is recommended that you implement two-factor authentication for all logins. This simply means adding an extra layer of security that requires proof of ID. This could be a mobile generated code or a secret question. You can add two-factor authentication to your WordPress website or blog by installing the WP Google Authentication plugin.
Login Limits
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This is a very simple but effective way of stopping hackers in their tracks. It involves limiting the number of login attempts that can be made by the same IP address. After the login attempts have exceeded the set number, a locking mechanism is activated whereby no logins can be made from the offending IP for a given period of time. Install the WP Limit Login plugin to set up login limits.
Change Admin Login URL
The default admin URL ends in ‘wp-admin.php’ or ‘wp-admin’. You can change this to something less obvious. This will stop brute force attacks that target the default admin URL. There are several security plugins that allow you to do this.
Use a Secure Password
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This is the best way to secure WordPress site. It simple and straightforward. If you have a simple password such as “password123”, it’s only a matter of time before someone hacks into your WordPress site. You need to use a password with a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters. You can use a password generator to help you come up with one.
WP-Admin Password Protection
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Use the AskApache Password Protect plugin to protect the wp-admin directory. This is the most important directory in your WordPress installation. By leaving it unprotected, you could subject your site to attacks and even a takeover.
Keep WordPress And All Plugins Updated
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Using an outdated version of WordPress and any of its plugins presents a security loophole that can be exploited by hackers. One of the most common attacks is a hacker gaining access to your website through a plugin that has not been updated. You should make sure your plugins are updated automatically so that you don’t have to remember to make updates. WordPress has an automatic update feature from version 3.7 onwards.
Back Up Your Site Regularly
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You can never be too safe. There is always a chance someone might manage to hack into your site. For this reason, you should back up your site regularly to avoid having to start from scratch should your site get hacked. A backup will allow you to restore your website from previous working copies. There are plenty of back up plugins available to help with this.
