Is Custom Software Development Secure? Here's How to Make Sure It Is

The idea that custom applications are less secure than pre-packaged software is a common misconception that can mislead business owners. While it’s true that security concerns are valid, it’s important to understand that custom-built solutions don’t have to be less protected. In fact, when developed properly, custom solutions are often designed to meet your business’s specific security needs, offering better protection than off-the-shelf solutions.

Consider the famous 2020 SolarWinds breach as an example. Hackers targeted widely-used IT management software by embedding malicious code. This attack impacted thousands of businesses and government agencies worldwide, proving that even popular software can be vulnerable.

The lesson here is clear: no software is entirely threat-free, and widely-used solutions often become prime targets for attackers. For businesses partnering with a custom software development company or a solution agency, it’s important to understand the security measures safeguarding sensitive data and how the risk of cybercrime is mitigated.

While many off-the-shelf providers incorporate strong security protocols, custom solutions deliver two key advantages:

Unique Development: Software that is tailor-made for your business is a less attractive target for hackers, who often focus on widely-used systems.

Seamless Integration: With custom solutions, you can design comprehensive systems where webpages and software work together effortlessly, avoiding the compatibility issues that can arise from combining multiple third-party solutions.

Best Practices for Ensuring Security in Custom Software Development

We gathered the top approaches and terms you need to know when researching security in custom development. Look out for these things to make informed decisions when considering software development consulting services.

Secure Infrastructure and Environment

Software infrastructure and environment refers to servers, networks, storage, development environments, frameworks, and workflows used to build and run the software.

What makes a software foundation secure?

Isolated development environments:
Developers should use separate environments for development, testing, and production. This prevents data leaks and exposure to unauthorized access. A good example is creating a testing environment with mock data instead of customer data to keep sensitive information intact during development.

Protected environments:
Data should be protected in both hardware and virtual structures like servers and cloud environments. This includes using encryption for data in transit and at rest, implementing firewalls, and ensuring that the infrastructure is accessible only to authorized personnel through secure methods like VPNs and IPSec tunnels.

Configuration management:
Standardizing configuration practices makes sure that any software systems are configured the same way across environments in a reproducible, repeatable, and secure manner. This could mean, for example, that each time a new server is deployed, the same configuration script is applied. This is a great way to reduce the chance of mistakes or forgetting a protocol, and it will make it easier to troubleshoot later. Automating the system setup also saves time, while still being efficient safety-wise.

Compliance with security standards:
The system must comply with the internationally recognized standards of ISO 27001, SOC 2, or GDPR (in case of business operating in the EU). They exist for a reason and will be a great first step towards trustworthy software.

Embedding Security in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Security is most effective when it’s integrated into every phase of the SDLC, from planning to maintenance and security awareness training. Ideally, your software should be created with a Security-as-Code(SaC) approach, meaning that security configurations are treated as a part of the code itself. This aligns perfectly with DevSecOps, which integrates security into the development and operations process.

Let’s say you’re Real Estate website needs to secure its user data.

❌Without SaC approach:

A developer manually sets data encryption settings for the database. If they forget a step, the data might be exposed.

✔️With SaC approach:

A script automatically configures the database to use encryption, applies access controls, and ensures the settings are tested in all environments. Every new database created follows the same secure pattern.

At UniRidge, Security as Code (SaC) is one of our core principles because it ensures consistent and reliable security throughout development. However, we recognize that SaC’s implementation needs to balance security requirements with cost considerations. That’s why we offer different levels of SaC tailored to specific needs:

Basic SaC: By following best practices, we address common threats efficiently without unnecessary overhead.

Advanced SaC: For projects requiring higher security, we integrate automated vulnerability assessments, secure configurations, and more complex solutions directly into the development process.

This approach provides several benefits:

Consistent security standards are applied across development.

Time is saved by avoiding the need to “reinvent the wheel” for each project.

Secure configurations can be replicated across new systems or environments, supporting scalability.

Transparent processes ensure our clients’ in-house developers receive clear documentation, reducing operational challenges.

DevSecOps is another, broader framework that integrates security practices into the entire software development and operations workflow. It ensures collaboration between development (Dev), security (Sec), and operations (Ops) teams so that security is considered at every stage of the (SDLC). Its main benefit is that it encourages teams to prioritize security alongside speed and profits.

Data Encryption and Protection

Encryption is the process of converting data into an incomprehensible format, ensuring that only those with authorized access can make sense of it. Even if some information gets stolen, it will look like gibberish, entirely random letters and numbers, to someone not in possession of the required key. That is why encryption is regarded as one of the best ways of securing confidential information such as passwords, personal messaging, and business data from hackers or unauthorized personnel.

The current encryption approaches vary in terms of key access and type of data, for example your messaging apps use end-to-end encryption, HTTPS uses hybrid encryption and email providers use asymmetric one.

Recently, the hottest discussion in data protection is quantum-safe cryptography, since the new quantum-computers can be a real threat if they become widely used or just get in malicious hands. While all the methods listed above work well against hackers, they won’t help much against computers that can crack any code in a matter of seconds.

When investing in custom-made software, make sure that the data security experts create an agile system that will allow for modifications once the cyberthreats evolve.

Access Control

Restricted access policies are a way to keep systems safe and data secure. When you restrict access, you limit data breaches—whether internally by mistake or by scammers.

One example of this is restricting the financial records of the business to a few selected employees. This will act as a preventive measure from someone’s spilling this data accidentally (or intentionally). It is similarly possible to apply role-based access control (RBAC) to make only limited information visible from an employee’s end.

Firewalls and multi-factor authentication (MFA) add onto this making it tougher and more complicated for cybercriminals to breach the system. The permission-based access has to be reviewed and updated regularly to avoid potential threats, like an ex-employee still being able to log in.

Threat Management

It’s better to be proactive than reactive, and your system should be tested by the developers, not the hackers. Here are some practices that will help with that:

Advanced Threat Intelligence for Businesses

Because custom software solutions are mostly built for the needs of a particular user, hackers might target its specific features to find the weakest link in the chain. Advanced threat intelligence helps forecasting risks relevant to the given solution. It gathers historical and real-time data, and nowadays uses AI to predict a surge in attacks based on global patterns.

For example, it can help to identify behavioral patterns typical for phishing attacks. In this case, real-time threat monitoring and intelligence tools could use alerts or automated actions to block certain IP addresses they deem suspicious.

Micro-Segmentation for Network Security

Custom software often interacts with sensitive data or critical systems unique to the business. Micro-segmentation helps protect these systems by dividing them. If a breach does occur, then it will be isolated within the network and won’t spread to other parts of the business.

For instance, a micro-loan app that has customer transaction systems separated from administrative tools. If one part of the system were compromised, the intruders could not move laterally to access sensitive financial information.

Monitoring and Maintenance

Ongoing monitoring and maintenance should be treated as a mandatory part of DevSecOps activities. The developers must have a concrete maintenance plan that ensures your systems stay secure and effective over time.

OWASP Top 10 is a widely recognized resource that guides businesses in identifying and addressing common security risks. With each update, your development team should run an audit and check if the system is equipped to face the newest listed threats.

Our Approach

The level of security your web application needs depends on your business requirements, risk tolerance, and the type of data you handle. It’s practical to start with essential security measures for your MVP and scale up as your application evolves and your business grows. Security isn’t a one-and-done task; it’s a continuous process that adapts to changing risks and business needs.

Unsure about the right security level for your application? We’re here to help!

At UniRidge, we’ve worked with many businesses seeking custom-built solutions, targeting a variety of safety concerns. Our developers prioritize security at every step of the creation process, providing peace of mind for you and your customers.

Not every business requires a solution built from scratch. That’s why we also specialize in technology transformation—modernizing outdated systems and fortifying them against today’s most common security threats.

Take a look at our case studies for more insight: