Usability Vs. Security: Finding The Right Balance In Enterprise App Development

1. USABILITY VS. SECURITY: FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE IN ENTERPRISE APP DEVELOPMENT Security need not be a compromise on usability!

2. Overview The importance of security cannot be overlooked by an enterprise application development company as the scale of data breaches reported year by year have been staggering. This in turn raises a concern for developers that security does not get in the way of usability and hinder app performance. Now, how to make usability and security go hand in hand? Before digging deeper, let’s find out if security really impedes usability?

3. Does security impedes usability? Well, the inherent conflict between usability and security does flourish at the workplace with users longing for ease of use while system’s owners desiring comprehensive security. As security is mostly added at the end of development, it limits access to applications and also obstructs usability. Balancing security with usability might seem like an endless pursuit, still finding a balance between these two important factors is necessary. Consider having security and usability specialists in the development team, you might be able to find a balance in the security-usability spectrum.

4. How to make usability and security go hand-in-hand? As per the definition in the ISO 9421-11, usability is “the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specific goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use.” Here’s seven key pointers to help you find the right balance between security and usability: • Security by design approach • Focus on simplicity • Implement biometric authentication • Engage the users of your enterprise apps • Provide different data access permissions for users • Test to determine security and usability balance • Integrate security in your culture

5. Security by design approach Our team of software development experts believes that “security by design” is the best approach to security. This approach enables them to avoid the costly attempt of adding security at the end of development of the enterprise app. This proactive approach of co-opting security during the development process is analogous to building a door with built-in a tamper-proof deadlock while adding security layers at a later stage is like adding multiple locks after the installation of door to maintain the same strength.

6. Focus on simplicity Apps with a minimalist design are not only easier to understand for users but are also easier to secure. Simpler code has lesser vulnerabilities and it also lowers the possibilities of users doing anything that compromises the security of your app. Also consider simplifying features and services of your enterprise apps and putting in the minimal security necessary. This would help you to detect and stop the actions of users with potential security implications.

7. Implement biometric authentication Incorporating biometric-based security offers quite a few advantages to your enterprise app without affecting usability. Biometrics can replace the need for remembering passwords and managing token-based systems altogether while eliminating the risk of data breach through stolen passwords. You can also add multiple layers of security to your enterprise app with biometric-based multi-factor authentication i.e., add iris or face scan to fingerprint to provide strong authentication.

8. Engage the users of your enterprise apps Security is not solely a technological challenge; so bring in people of your organization in the security equation. Consider workforce training and awareness programs so that they can apply what they are taught. Engaging them in the process of data protection would not only help them avoid risky behavior but also ensure there are lots more eyes to monitor if anything is amiss. Making your employees active participants in the security awareness initiative would prevent your enterprise security provisions from getting compromised to a greater extent.

9. Provide different data access permissions for users Not all users of your enterprise are the same! Therefore, give users limited access to app features you in order to keep your enterprise app and data more secure. Our enterprise app development team closely works with security as well as UX experts to address the core problems of user experience without compromising security. They also include some in-product notifications in order to remind users the security preferences that they had previously chosen to prevent potential security risks, without affecting usability.

10. Test to determine security and usability balance Testing is an integral part of our enterprise app development. Our developers observe users using their app features to test them for potential security as well as usability issues. Such observations have often helped them understand that something that appears quite obvious to them may not be that obvious for the users. Also avoid making an application unnecessarily complex by adding security layers as that could lead to poor user experience.

11. Integrate security in your culture Consider including your workforce who will be engaging with your enterprise app in the security program. This will help in creating the security environment that you want in your enterprise. Heightened security in your app might decrease the ease-of-use in some areas. However, as people understand how to work through these challenges, it would eliminate workplace frustrations. Therefore, consider security of your enterprise data as a business problem and not as an IT-problem in order to make your security measures successful in the long run.

12. Final Words! The battle between usability and security is often observed throughout the workplaces, such as: • critically strong passwords written down on sticky notes; • files shared through online services not sanctioned by IT departments, etc. Strengthening security measures typically undermines usability, no doubt, but there can be ways to address this conundrum. And the best and worst part is that there are no set answers!

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