Due to the widespread digital transformation that has affected every industry sector, all businesses are now software businesses. Building software trust without compromising the speed and agility necessary to remain competitive in your market. It is crucial for your organization, whether developing software for internal use or selling it directly to customers.
However, many companies still need to catch up on incorporating security into their software development life cycle (SDLC). Far too many development teams still view security as a bottleneck, a problem that makes them rewrite code they believe to be complete and keeps them from releasing exciting new features. For businesses facing issues, managed IT services in Philadelphia have been helping companies implement a secure SDLC.
SDLC: Basics and Beyond
Constantly emerging reports of supply chain intrusions and data breaches show that your company can suffer significantly from compromised software. Software risk has to be prioritized and handled proactively regarding business risk. Your application security programs must “shift everywhere” to support your organization’s digital transformation initiatives while mitigating risk. This means that rather than being the last issue development teams deal with, you must incorporate security into all application development process phases through several procedures and technologies. Furthermore, development teams that adopt tools and solutions that easily integrate into workflows and development toolchains get the best results from security programs.
SDLCs include the following phases.
Stage I – Gathering Requirements
During this first stage, various participants provide requirements for new features. Security requirements and considerations should be gathered during this phase, and a comprehensive risk assessment for the requirements should be completed.
The activities in this phase include the following.
- Security aspects for the specified functional requirements
- Total risk evaluation
Stage II – Design
The functional and security requirements finalized during the requirement-gathering phase are used during the design phase. This stage outlines the architecture and design of the software while considering the need for security and functionality. While security requirements outline what should not happen, functional requirements outline what should.
The activities in this phase include the following.
- Design evaluation threats
- Execution
The functional and security requirements of the product are implemented during the implementation phase. This stage also entails creating security protocols.
Stage III – Execution
The functional and security requirements of the product are implemented during the implementation phase. This phase also entails applying security mechanisms and creating security policies and procedures using secure coding best practices. Inappropriate application of these mechanisms will leave the software vulnerable to attacks.
The activities in this phase include the following.
- Best practices for secure coding
- Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
- Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Stage IV – Testing
Testing is done at this stage to help find software vulnerabilities and ensure the security measures are working. This phase also addresses potential security threats. Testing is done repeatedly to make sure the system is free of known vulnerabilities. Depending on the needs of the product, these testing cycles may involve using automated or manual security testing tools. This stage is essential to the SSDLC’s success.
The activities in this phase include the following.
- Code review
- Penetration testing (manually or automatically)
- Vulnerability assessment
Stage V – Implementation
The deployment phase is crucial in the Secure Software Development Life Cycle. The product is implemented and utilized within the production setting during this stage. Additionally, all security controls defined during the design and development phases are tested during this phase. To guarantee the safe development of the product, deployment environment configurations are reviewed in addition to all security measures. For this reason, it is essential to have a deployment strategy that is well-defined and well-executed.
The activities in this phase include the following.
- Security assessment
- Configuration review
Importance of Security Assessment
Organizations in the early SDLC systems put off performing security-related tasks until the testing phase. Even worse, time constraints frequently resulted in the removal of unsafe code. Teams implemented “shift left” procedures, bringing the security of operations into line with development. The idea of “shift everywhere,” which incorporates security concerns into all stages of development, results from the further evolution of SDLC systems.
A bug’s repair costs increase with its discovery stage in the SDLC. Developers are forced to stop working on their current tasks and go back and review code they may have written weeks ago when a bug is discovered later in the cycle. Even worse, the code is sent back to the start of the SDLC whenever a bug is found in production. At this point, bug fixes have the potential to have a cascading effect, reversing earlier code changes. Therefore, as the bug progresses through a second round of the SDLC, not only will it be more expensive to fix, but it may also delay a different code change, which will increase costs.
Integrating security testing at every stage of the software development life cycle (SDLC) is a better, faster, and less expensive way to help identify and mitigate vulnerabilities early on and incorporate security into your code. Penetration testing before release, code review during coding and build, and architecture analysis during design are examples of security assurance activities.
The following are some main benefits of using a secure SDLC approach.
- The security of your software is improved.
- Everybody involved is aware of the security implications.
- Design flaws are found early on before they are programmed into existence.
- Because you save money due to the early identification and repair of flaws.
- You lower your company’s overall intrinsic business risks.
How is Secure SDLCS Operated?
A secure SDLC generally entails adding security testing and other tasks to an existing development process. Examples include completing an architecture risk analysis during the SDLC’s design phase and putting security requirements in the same document as functional requirements.
There are numerous secure Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) models in use, but the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (MS SDL) is one of the most well-known. It provides a list of 12 practices that companies can implement to make their software more secure. The National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) also offers the Secure Software Development Framework, which focuses on security-related procedures that businesses can incorporate into their current software development life cycle (SDLC).
How Do You Begin?
As a developer or tester, here are some actions you can take to enhance your organization’s security and transition to a secure software development life cycle.
- Inform yourself and your colleagues about the best secure coding practices and security frameworks.
- Perform an initial architecture risk analysis.
- When creating and organizing test cases, take security into account.
- Use code scanning tools for interactive application security testing and static and dynamic analysis.
How Do You Go Beyond the Fundamentals?
Management must go beyond these fundamentals to make a more significant impact and create a strategic plan. Here’s how to start if you’re a decision-maker interested in creating a fully secure SDLC from scratch.
- Conduct a gap analysis to determine what programs and policies are in your company and how effective they are.
- Develop a software security program (SSP) or software security initiative (SSI) by defining success metrics and setting attainable, realistic goals.
- Put procedures in place for security-related tasks within your SSI.
- Invest in the right tools and secure coding training for developers.
- When necessary, request outside assistance.
Conclusion
Development teams use the software development lifecycle (SDLC) as a time- and money-efficient method for designing and creating high-quality software. By proactive planning, the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) aims to reduce project risks and ensure that software meets customer expectations during and after production.
