Due to the surge in popularity of apps and other technology, people who have no training or background in the field are becoming developers. Anyone who has the drive can create a program, application or even a website. These new developers are simply known as citizen developers, and with their growing numbers, they are bringing concerns about cyber security, especially for businesses. Hence, getting proper Cyber Security Training is advised if you are concerned about digital security.
Concerns for the Business World
When employees begin developing their own programs and apps, it can quickly become a security risk. Citizen developers don’t have formal education or all the knowledge they need to develop secure programs and apps. You can click here to learn more about citizen developers. What they develop may not have safeguards to protect sensitive information and may be vulnerable to hackers. This becomes problematic and may lead to businesses discouraging citizen developers. However, there are things a company can do to help encourage this creativity and reap the rewards that may come from it.
Set Policies
While it isn’t really possible to stop employees from developing on their own time, it can be discouraged during work hours if a company has major concerns about the activity. In addition, employees should be reminded about confidentiality and told to follow any policies that are in place for technology use. Any employee-developed app should be reviewed before company information is entered into it, such as having the IT team look it over to check for vulnerabilities before it is released for use.
Encourage Employees to Further Education
If an employee is showing real promise as a developer, he or she could become a great company asset. You should encourage him or her to go back to school or to take technical courses in programming and other IT subjects, such as classes offered at MVU Online . This would help the employee to develop skills that would make it easier for him or her to develop secure apps in the future. In addition, you might just find a new member for your IT team who has inside knowledge of the everyday workings in the business. It is a win-win situation.
Look at the Benefits
Even if an employee doesn’t see a future in IT, your company can still benefit from any apps or programs the employee has developed or will develop.  Employees are working on the front lines and know exactly what they need or what would help them be more proficient at their jobs. This knowledge may not be something your IT team is aware of, so it should be taken advantage of. If an employee develops a useful app or program, the IT team can take a look at it and ensure it is secure to use, and then it can be used to benefit other employees and the company.
Citizen developers look like they are here to stay. If you have them as part of your company, you should try to encourage them. Stopping them will not really help anyone. Just be sure that employees understand company policies for app and program development and ensure they are aware of safety concerns. In the end, if everyone works together, your company is bound to benefit from what a great app or program can offer.
