Security for Microsoft® Visual Basic® .NET

Step 7: Design for Simplicity and Usability

There is a common misconception that making a system secure means making it complicated. Adding security to an application needn’t mean adding a second logon screen or putting barriers in the way of performing common tasks. If security features are not simple to use, people will try their best not to use them. Instead, the best idea is to weave security so thoroughly into the application that the experience is seamless to the user. This results in a simple and usable application, where security doesn’t get in the way of other features. Here are some useful ideas for keeping the application design simple and usable:

• Use single logon. For client applications, instead of having users log on to Windows and ...