The 5 Most Common Low-Code Security Concerns + How To Mitigate

Low-code platforms are a great way for organizations to bridge skill gaps. They let developers build enterprise-grade, full-stack apps without the required experience in front-end frameworks like React or backend infrastructure like scaling and load distribution. 

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That said, using these platforms can also introduce additional security risks, especially if you have a lot of users. 

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However, there’s probably less reason to fear than you think — let's take a look at five of the most common security concerns and how to mitigate them.

5 common security concerns when using low-code

If you’d like to skip the technical details below, here’s a quick look at the risks to consider:

1. Low-code can introduce Shadow IT. Because low-code platforms make it so easy to create apps, different teams can often start developing their own without proper oversight, leading to all sorts of unpredictable security and compliance headaches.
   
   
2. Low-code can introduce data security risks. Low-code platforms may store data on external servers or interact with multiple external systems, increasing the potential for data breaches and leaks.
   
   
3. Citizen developers come with knowledge gaps. Citizen developers often lack formal training in coding best practices, which can lead to security risks if their apps bypass code reviews.
   
   
4. Unauthorized system access. If not properly managed, low-code platforms can provide pathways for unauthorized users to access sensitive data or systems.
   
   
5. Inconsistent security standards. With users of varying skill levels, adherence to security can be patchy (at best) without a strong governance strategy in place.

Let’s jump into the details -

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1. Shadow IT

Shadow IT is likely to become a concern if, before adopting low code, there was a high demand for tooling and a lack of support. 

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To bridge this gap, employees then choose to start MacGyvering their own software with spreadsheets or various coding languages. You can easily end up with a wild, unwalled garden of apps, each doing its own thing in its own way.

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This is classic Shadow IT territory. 

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There’s no oversight, and often these apps aren’t built with the organization’s broader security and compliance policies in mind. In short, this leads to a patchwork IT infrastructure where data is scattered across unauthorized internal apps that you can’t monitor or secure. But it doesn’t have to be this way. 

How can low-code platforms solve Shadow IT for good?

The way to mitigate Shadow IT risk is in the initial setup. Many low-code platforms, such as Superblocks or Microsoft Power Apps, actually have the tools to solve this risk rather than spread it. It’s really a matter of syncing your low-code tools with your larger security infrastructure.

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Start by setting granular access controls. Decide who can access what data, who can use the apps, and who can deploy them. Then make the most of the platform's audit logs and observability features to keep track of changes and user activity. 

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The main advantage of adopting a platform is that everything is centralized. You can oversee who built what:

• Do they have proper groups assigned? 
• Is there documentation for their app? 
• Is the app’s activity included in the audit trails?

Moreover, documentation and maintenance — often neglected in the Wild West of Shadow IT — suddenly improve. It becomes simpler to document functionalities and track changes. 

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The best part? Apps no longer risk becoming less secure or introducing shadow IT when the individuals who built them leave. Were the app’s owner to be struck by a proverbial bus, other team members or developers already understand how the platform works, including the shared components and data sources, and can quickly take over.

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2. Data security risks 

One of the common concerns with cloud-hosted tools is data leaks. If you pass sensitive internal data across to your chosen low-code platform’s cloud-hosted servers, you’re running a risk. That data could end up in all sorts of places, like their analytic platforms, that might not be compliant. That’ll get you fined and sued at best, or put you on front-page news at worst.

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This OWASP article throws a spotlight on how unintended data leakage can occur. It’s not always from obvious errors like outright misconfigurations — data exposure often happens through unexpected interactions between the app’s components or workflows.

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For example, one component may process sensitive data, while another, not designed for security, unknowingly shares it with a broader system where it shouldn’t be visible. 

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It’s common practice to avoid data leak risk by deploying on-premise. In fact, many low-code tools offer such options. However, you often have to orchestrate various Docker containers together and get individual security approvals on every piece of tech involved like the tool’s database or event streaming platforms. You’ll also have to schedule downtime for upgrades and database migrations.

How do you mitigate security risks?

So what’s the move here? When you’re picking out a low-code platform, dig deep. Scrutinize its data protection policies, compliance certifications, and security features. Do they stand up to your organization’s standards? Does the platform embrace security, or is it an afterthought amongst a flurry of features? If it's an open-source platform, you can inspect the source code and perform an audit as you would any other internal tool.

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For example, if you were looking at Superblocks you'd do an audit of our On-Premise Agent (OPA) — which is our hybrid security agent that lets you keep data within your own network or VPC without the usual operational overhead. The agent runs inside your own network, executing your code and handling all database queries — so sensitive data never leaves your infrastructure.

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And unlike fully self-hosting your app, you can still use Superblocks’ cloud-hosted platform to build, deploy, and manage your internal apps. We took this approach to allow users to get the benefits of on-premise data security without inheriting all the costs of on-prem software. 

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3. Citizen developer knowledge gaps

When non-techie professionals or citizen developers create applications, they might side-step critical best practices and introduce risks. Due to limited security knowledge, for example, they might unknowingly display sensitive data to unauthorized groups or integrate with external APIs that are prone to attacks.

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Beyond that, apps built by citizen developers typically circumvent your usual SDLC cycle. This bypass can lead to inadequate code reviews and insufficient security testing. An app could go live with security flaws that could have been easily avoided.

How can you prevent this risk?

To counter this, choose a low-code platform that comes with built-in governance tools. They’ll help IT control who can do what, set permissions, and manage access according to each individual's specific needs.

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Additionally, these low-code platforms also provide a bunch of pre-vetted, secure, and efficient components that citizen developers can use to build their apps. This removes the need for poorly performing, poorly supported React libraries.
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4. Unauthorized system access

Low-code platforms that come with default access control settings are often insufficiently secure or not granular enough. This can lead to users with more permissions than they actually need. So someone could have access to sensitive data they really shouldn’t be seeing — or worse, changing.

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And that’s just access at the app level. You also have to think about all the components that an app connects to, like APIs and databases. If security isn’t tight across all those layers, an attacker could exploit a weak point in one area to access others.

How do you better control access?

First, when you’re evaluating a platform, audit for access control features. Prioritize platforms that come with built-in RBAC so you can assign access to only those who need it. It should also be easy to revoke that access and keep tabs on who's doing what.

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To use our platform as an example again, we allow you to define very specific roles and permissions at a granular level. This means you can control who has access to what, not just on a per-app basis but right down to specific workflows, jobs, or even individual actions within those apps.

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And because it’s all managed centrally, it’s much easier to oversee and adjust these permissions as you need. We also support SCIM provisioning if you need to manage roles at scale.

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That said, if you're already stuck with a low-code platform without RBAC, consider restricting developer access to a subset of users.

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5. Inconsistent security standards

Opening up development to a wider group also introduces a more inconsistent set of skills. A common security risk is over-permissioning. Someone new to app development might, for example, connect an app to a database and grant it excessively broad read/write access.

Low-code platforms with governance built in can resolve this issue. 

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These platforms come equipped with administrative controls that allow admins to set up and enforce rules for app development across the organization.

Example of how to make security more consistent

For instance, they can restrict who is allowed to create or modify certain types of applications or access sensitive data. This central oversight ensures that all applications, regardless of who works on them, adhere to the same security policies and standards. 

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If that’s not enough to satisfy your inner architect, these governance tools often include features for tracking changes, auditing app development processes, and managing version control. This not only helps in maintaining security but also ensures compliance with internal and external regulations.

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As mentioned before, low-code platforms usually have a library of pre-built, reusable components. These components have been engineered to meet specific security standards and are regularly updated to patch any vulnerabilities. When developers use these components, they are essentially building with blocks that are pre-vetted and pre-approved.

Summary: Choose a secure platform with flexibility and transparency

In short, here are the features you should check for when evaluating low-code platforms:

• On-premise security: Does it let you keep your data on your own servers, where you have full control?
• Role-based access control (RBAC): Can you fine-tune who gets access to what? You need to be able to limit access to only necessary resources and functionalities.
• Centralized governance: Is there one place you can go to see everything that's being built and groups have proper access?
• Reusable components: Does it have a library of pre-built components you can just drag and drop? It’ll speed things up and keep everything consistent.

We built Superblocks to tackle most of these concerns head-on. Our goal is to offer the benefits of low-code without the security drawbacks. We do this through several key features:

• On-Premise Agent: Anchor all your data within your own infrastructure with the on-premise agent. All the benefits of the cloud, but nothing leaves your network.
• RBAC: Set roles and permissions to control who has access to what — be it creating applications, setting up integrations, or accessing audit logs.
• Auditing and compliance: Track user actions with built-in audit logs to ensure security and regulatory compliance.
• System visibility: Get insights into app usage, access patterns, and potential security risks to maintain full control.
• Over 100 reusable components: Beautiful and extensible components that simplify the development process for developers at all levels of expertise.

If you’d like to see these features in practice, take a look at our docs, or better yet try Superlocks for free.