Salesforce Development Security Best Practices: How a Developer Can Help?

Salesforce development involves creating custom features or improving existing ones to meet specific business needs. However, when discussing Salesforce development, security is not just an option but a top priority. Why is that? Even a minor security breach can lead to serious consequences, such as exposed customer data, compliance issues, and harm to a company’s reputation. 

Additionally, minor mistakes in custom code, configurations, or integrations can create vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Therefore, it is essential for businesses that rely on Salesforce for critical operations and want to extend their capabilities via custom development they have to ensure strong security. 

In this blog, we will explore key security best practices for Salesforce development and how skilled developers can effectively reduce risks. 

Salesforce Development Security Best Practices

Before getting into secure coding practices, it’s important to understand how Salesforce works, from its multi-tenant architecture to role-based access controls. This foundational knowledge ensures that security measures are implemented effectively. Here are some of the most critical tips for secure Salesforce development:

Enforce the Principle of Least Privilege:

Users and systems should only have access to the data and functionality they need to perform their tasks.

• Use profiles, permission sets, and role hierarchies to restrict access to sensitive data.
• Adopt the Principle of Least Privilege wherein the object and field level access is granted. 
• Avoid granting “View All” or “Modify All” permissions unless necessary.
• Implement sharing rules and OWD (Organization-Wide Defaults) to control data visibility.
• Encourage the use of MFA for all users, especially those with elevated permissions.
• Integrate MFA into custom applications and authentication flows.
• Implement session security for more security.

Data Migration 

• When migrating data (e.g., from prod to sandbox), mask or scramble sensitive fields (e.g., PII) to prevent exposure in non-production environments.
• Validate data integrity during imports (e.g., via Data Loader) and use encrypted connections (TLS).
• Encrypt backups and test recovery processes regularly to ensure data isn’t lost or exposed during migration failures.

Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning: It’s important to consider how security best practices may differ depending on whether you’re using Salesforce Classic or Salesforce Lightning. The newer Lightning experience offers enhanced features, which may come with additional security considerations. For example, certain features like Lightning Components have their own set of security rules compared to Classic’s Visualforce pages. You can read more about the differences and how they impact security in our Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning blog.

Secure Apex Code and APIs

• Use with sharing keyword in Apex classes to enforce user permissions.
• Validate and sanitize all user inputs to prevent SOQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
• Use SOQL query bind variables to mitigate injection risks.
• Implement rate limiting and authentication mechanisms for custom APIs.
• For integrations, enforce IP allowlisting on both Salesforce and the external system to limit access points.
• When configuring, utilize protected custom settings or custom metadata types for sensitive configuration data instead of hardcoding it in Apex.

Leverage Salesforce Shield

Salesforce Shield is a suite of advanced security features designed to protect sensitive data.

• Use Event Monitoring to track user activity and detect anomalies.
• Implement a Field Audit Trail to monitor changes to critical fields (this will help one be aware of whatever changes have been made in the fields). 
• Enable Platform Encryption to encrypt data at rest.

Secure Integrations

Integrations with third-party systems can introduce security risks if not properly managed.

• Use OAuth 2.0 (This protocol enables users to grant limited access to their resources from one site to another without sharing their credentials.)for secure authentication and authorization.
• Encrypt sensitive data transmitted between systems.
• Regularly review and update integration credentials.

Regularly Review and Update Security Settings

• Conduct regular security reviews of your Salesforce org.
• Stay updated on Salesforce’s security advisories and patches.
• Use Health Check to identify and address security gaps.

How Skilled Salesforce Developers Can Help?

Implementing these security best practices requires expertise and attention to detail. Here is everything what does a Salesforce developer do to ensure security best Practices.

• Design and develop secure, scalable solutions that align with your business needs. 

They understand how to configure Salesforce’s robust security settings, like role hierarchies, sharing rules, and field-level security, to protect sensitive data while ensuring the system meets your business goals.

Imagine a retail company using Salesforce to manage customer data. A skilled developer can create a custom app to limit who sees customer payment details. Only the finance team would have access to this sensitive information. Sales representatives can still view order histories. This setup helps the company follow data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA.

• Conduct thorough security assessments to identify and mitigate risks. 

These developers are trained to spot vulnerabilities before they become problems. They perform regular security reviews, analyze code for flaws (like SOQL injection risks), and assess configurations to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

• Stay updated on the latest Salesforce security features and best practices.

Salesforce rolls out updates nearly three times a year, often introducing new security tools like Shield Platform Encryption or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Skilled developers keep pace with these changes, ensuring your org leverages the latest protections and adheres to evolving industry standards.

• Provide ongoing support to ensure your Salesforce org remains secure as it evolves.

Developers offer continuous monitoring and support, adapting security measures to match these changes and addressing emerging threats. Not just when the process is ongoing but sometimes even when the process is completed through regular monitoring and auditing.

How Can We Help?

Certified Experts: 

Our developers hold Salesforce certifications and have extensive experience in secure development practices.

Flexible Engagement Models: 

We offer tailored solutions to meet your specific needs and budget.

Focus on Security: 

We prioritize security in every aspect of our development process, ensuring your Salesforce org is protected.

So, if you’re looking for experts, you can hire Salesforce developer to support your development project security. Smart IT Staff, staff augmentation services are here to help. 

To ensure a seamless and productive onboarding experience, we recommend reviewing Salesforce developer onboarding best practices, which outlines key steps to integrate developers quickly and effectively into your team and workflows.

If you’re still in the selection phase, our in-depth guide on How to hire the right Salesforce developer for Your Project Needs offers valuable insights on assessing technical capabilities, evaluating cultural fit, and aligning development expertise with your long-term business goals.

Contact us today to learn how we can provide you with the talent and expertise you need to succeed.