Did you know that instead of finding out new vulnerabilities in the software, hackers prefer misusing the older vulnerabilities for backdoor exploit? Software developers usually miss out on the importance of fixing older ones and focus on building stronger techniques to ensure that there are fewer new vulnerabilities. This gives unethical hackers an unknowing advantage and reduces the effort that otherwise needs to be put in to breach the network security. It is because hackers are familiar with older vulnerabilities and when they discover them in new software, they can misuse them to crack even a well-rectified code. This is such a big issue because a single software can be used by a large number of companies and installed in many devices, putting them all at risk at once. Therefore, the very first thing that software developers should do is find out, locate, and rectify older and existing vulnerabilities. The different ways to do so and their benefits are given below.
- Scanning Open Source Codes
Open source code is a piece of code that is used as it is for building a large number of software applications. If such a code has hidden vulnerabilities, then all the applications designed with a piece of that code become vulnerable to hacking. Thence, you must provide your developers with code scanning tools like ‘Binary Code Scanner’. Such scanners can identify any existing vulnerabilities in open source codes. As a result, the new softwares are automatically safer.
- Hire Ethical Hackers
Unethical hackers exploit software vulnerabilities to steal data and harm the assets of a company. On the other hand, ethical hackers work in order to identify vulnerabilities with the intention of rectifying them. Lesser the vulnerabilities, safer the software. If you’re trying to locate good ethical hackers to bring them onboard with your cybersecurity team, you can run bug bounty programs or approach cybersecurity expert companies like Hikvision that have contacts with experienced ethical hackers.
All in all, the first step to making software safer and less buggy is to identify and eliminate existing bugs in all open source codes that you use, and only then moving forward to developing new software types.
Conclusively, you must keep releasing frequent software updates for customers using your software. And, if, you’re a customer, your focus should be buying software tools from trusted manufacturers and suppliers only. All such preventions ensure that you remain out of the radar of unethical hackers as much as possible.