Conducting an accessibility audit on a security dashboard is not just a bonus from a provider.
This guide explains what an accessibility audit is, why it matters for security products, and what you should include on your checklist.
We will also share practical tips from our team at LoopStudio, where we build secure and compliant platforms for cybersecurity companies.
What is an accessibility audit, and why does it matter for security dashboards?
An accessibility audit is a way to check how well your digital product works for people with disabilities.
Security dashboards need extra attention for a few reasons:
- They show a lot of information at once, like alerts, logs, and charts.
- They use interactive elements such as modals, filters, and dropdown menus.
- They often include actions that need to happen quickly, like responding to incidents.
- They also tend to use color to show different risk levels.
Accessibility best practices include audits that help you find barriers early and plan how to fix them.
If you are building software, you might also find our articles on UX/UI in cybersecurity platforms and dashboard design best practices helpful.
Standards you should know
Industry guidance recommends using automated tools, manual checks, and testing with assistive technologies to determine whether your product meets WCAG standards and legal requirements such as the ADA and Section 508.
So, before you start an accessibility audit on a security dashboard, make sure you know the basics:
1. WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
WCAG is the main global standard for web accessibility. Its requirements are based on four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
Most organizations work toward WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA compliance.
2. ADA and Section 508
- The ADA applies widely in the U.S. and has resulted in many digital accessibility lawsuits.
- Section 508 covers federal agencies and their vendors. In practice, many large companies ask for VPATs and evidence of WCAG compliance.
Right now, Section 508 and most global rules use WCAG 2.0/2.1 Level AA as the standard for following the law.
If you meet WCAG 2.1 AA, you are usually meeting the legal rules for both.
To learn more about compliance, check out our Section 508 Compliance Checklist.
Checklist for conducting an accessibility audit on a security dashboard
An accessibility audit uses automated tools, manual checks, and feedback from real users to make sure digital products work for everyone.
Here’s what to include in your checklist.
✅ Preparation & scope definition
Begin by deciding what the audit will cover andwhich parts of the product are most important:
- Core user flows (login, alerts, incident escalation, reporting)
- High-risk features (authentication, permissions, alert management)
- High-traffic pages (main dashboards, configuration screens)
We recommend to collect design files, development documents, and accessibility standards before you start testing.
✅ Automated accessibility testing
Use automated tools such as Axe, WAVE or Lighthouse.
These tools can find common issues like:
- Missing alt text
- Low color contrast
- Incorrect heading structures
Automated testing is good for catching issues early, but it only finds some accessibility problems.
You still need manual checks for things like context, usability, and how users interact with the product.
To learn how we include this in product development, check out our guide on 10 Secure Development Practices.
✅ Manual testing
Manual testing finds usability problems that automated tools might miss, like:
- Full keyboard navigation
- Logical tab order
- Clearly visible focus indicators
- Proper behavior of modals, dropdowns, and interactive elements
- Correct screen reader labels
It’s critical to review color and contrast compliance: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text, and 3:1 for UI components/functional graphics.
Never use color as the only way to show meaning, especially in dashboards where red, yellow, and green show important states.
Screen reader testing is also essential and cannot be skipped. Be sure to test with these tools:
- NVDA
- JAWS
- VoiceOver
When working with dashboards, focus on these areas:
- Data tables
- Charts and graphs
- Live alerts
- Multi-step authentication flows
If you’re unsure how your interface structure impacts usability, our article on UX Design in Cybersecurity can help.
✅ User testing
Whenever you can, involve users with disabilities in your testing.
This helps you find real-world problems that technical tests might miss, especially in dynamic interfaces with:
- Expandable logs
- Toggles
- Modals
- Live updating alerts
✅ Reporting & recommendations
Your accessibility audit should result in a clear, organized report that includes:
- A prioritized list of issues
- Severity classification
- WCAG mapping
- Practical remediation guidance
- An implementation roadmap
Recommendations should be concrete and actionable, allowing development teams to move directly into fixes without ambiguity.
✅ Remediation
Accessibility work continues after the report is done.
Remediation typically includes:
- Updating UI components
- Fixing semantic structure
- Improving contrast and focus states
- Simplifying complex interactions
✅ Follow-up
Once you’ve made fixes:
- Re-test manually and automatically
- Validate screen reader behavior
- Confirm no regressions were introduced
Accessibility is an ongoing process, not a one-time task. Security dashboards are constantly changing, so accessibility needs to keep up too.
Check out our Accessibility Audits service to learn more about our approach.
In Summary
Conducting an accessibility audit on a security dashboard is more than just meeting a requirement.
It’s about making your operations clear and building products people can trust.
Do you want your security dashboard to be both compliant and easy to use?
Let’s talk about how we can help your team create accessible and secure software from the start.
