In today’s world, where technology plays an important role in many aspects of our daily lives, the software we use must be both innovative and secure. Unfortunately, many companies still view security as an obstacle in the development process. However, insecure software poses a significant risk to businesses. Even the most innovative feature will not bring much value to the product or its user if it's vulnerable to hacking. The solution to this problem is adopting a secure software development life cycle (SSDLC), a comprehensive approach to software development that puts security first in the process.
In this article, we’ll explore how SSDLC can help your business deliver top-quality, secure software that meets the needs of today’s competitive market.
What is a secure software development life cycle (SSDLC)?
The secure software development life cycle (SSDLC) is an approach incorporating security operations into the software development life cycle process. This includes security testing, code reviews, threat modeling, architectural analysis, establishing security requirements as well as functional requirements, and risk assessment, all of which are incorporated into the existing development workflow.
At every stage of SSDLC, it’s important to ensure that security measures are in place to mitigate potential risks. That’s why integrating top-notch security methods and remediation tools directly into repositories should be a priority throughout the whole SSDLC process. It’ll help you address any potential security issues as soon as they arise.
The main goal of SSDLC is to minimize and mitigate the risk of vulnerabilities, data breaches, and other security threats.
Why is SSDLC important?
There are several reasons why SSDLC plays a vital role in software development. Software is an integral element of modern-day businesses, and any security breach can have devastating consequences for both a company and its users. Also, addressing security issues after the software has been deployed might be much more expensive and impede the overall development process.
Fixing security issues after deployment can require major changes to the software's architecture and design. It can cause delays in time-to-market and increased costs. By addressing security concerns early in the software development life cycle (SDLC), companies can minimize the risk of security breaches and reduce the cost of addressing any issues that might emerge.
How does SSDLC work?
In general, a secure SDLC involves the integration of security testing and other activities into an already established software development process. This can include activities such as writing security and functional requirements as well as conducting a risk analysis of the software architecture during the design phase of the software development life cycle.
The best practice is to secure each phase in the most appropriate manner. So how to embed security into your software development life cycle? Check out these security practices:
Planning phase
When it comes to software development, planning is the foundation for a successful project. This initial phase is when stakeholders evaluate the main issues to then apply them to future operations and the final product. It usually includes aspects such as scheduling the project and capacity planning.
But in the world of cyber threats, it's not enough to just consider these traditional aspects of planning. A secure SDLC takes it a step further by involving security considerations in the planning stage. This means accounting for any additional security requirements that could influence any project plans, cost estimations, task schedules, and procurement requirements. It means defining the regulations your product needs to comply with and the levels of confidentiality, integrity, and availability your software needs to maintain. You can also use threat modeling to anticipate potential security threats and plan your project scope and resources accordingly.
Make sure to integrate security into your planning phase for a successful, secure, and efficient software development process.
Analysis stage
The analysis stage is responsible for establishing which areas might lack security and how to incorporate security best practices to avoid costly mistakes in the future. It’s also worth checking which tools are in use within your company and how they work with your chosen technologies because they may be incompatible. You might use techniques like risk analysis, threat modeling, or a privacy impact assessment (PIA). At this stage, you should also establish clear processes for managing identified risks and decide on the security controls that will be needed to mitigate them.
Failing to account for these factors can result in issues carrying over to all the following phases and put your digital product at risk. Don’t leave your project’s security to chance - see how our security standards to keep data safe can help you overcome security challenges.
Design phase
Incorporating a security-first mindset during the design phase will take your product a step further. The developed software won’t only be functional but also secure, and your product can stand out from the crowd. It’s also important to remember that the design process and building a UX prototype should be carried out with security in mind. By carefully considering security in the design phase, you can minimize many potential risks and avoid noncompliance issues in the future. This could include principles like least privilege (where a user is given the minimum levels of access necessary to complete their tasks) and defense in depth (where multiple layers of security controls are placed throughout an IT system). You should also consider using secure coding standards and guidelines.
Coding & implementation phase
During this phase, a code review process is highly beneficial to ensure that the project has met the required features and functions. By focusing on secure coding practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches and ensure that your software is built with the highest level of security in mind. This means avoiding known insecure coding practices that could lead to vulnerabilities (like buffer overflows or injection vulnerabilities), and using tools like static analysis tools or software composition analysis (SCA) tools to help identify potential security issues in your code. By doing so, it will be easier to comply with security policies and regulations, as well as improve the overall quality of your software.
When discussing coding security, it is crucial to mention Supply-chain Levels for Software Artifacts. SLSA 
is a framework designed to enhance coding security in software supply chains. It provides a systematic approach to assessing the trustworthiness and integrity of software artifacts at each level of the supply chain. It aims to mitigate the risks of compromised or malicious components infiltrating the software development process.
This framework underlines the importance of continuous monitoring, automated testing, strong access controls, and secure build environments to ensure software security and reliability. By implementing SLSA, organizations can strengthen their defenses against potential security breaches and maintain the overall integrity of their software supply chains.
Testing phase
Implementing various testing methods helps to identify any potential security issues. For example, static analysis, dynamic analysis, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing help detect and remediate any security vulnerabilities that might have been missed during the code review process.
Investing in robust software testing practices during the development process is a smart decision that will yield profitable results in the long run. Your clients will appreciate the extra level of security, and you can rest easy knowing that your software is built to the highest standards of quality.
Deployment phase
Automated deployment is a critical component of the development cycle. This phase, often synonymous with DevOps and cloud-native methodologies, streamlines the process of getting software from development into production. High-performing companies embrace this approach, automating the deployment of code as soon as it's ready.
Keep in mind that without proper security tools and practices, automation can result in potential security risks being deployed into production environments. For less mature DevOps companies or those operating within highly regulated industries, manual review and approval might be necessary before deployment. This is usually a case in applications handling sensitive data.
Prior to deployment, consider conducting a final security review to ensure all security controls are in place. During deployment, ensure secure configuration of your hosting environment and follow the principle of least privilege. Continuously monitor for any security issues.
To ensure deployment security in software systems consider the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). SBOM provides a comprehensive inventory of all the software components and dependencies used in an application, similar to a list of ingredients on a food label.
By creating an SBOM, organizations gain visibility into their software supply chains, enabling them to identify and address potential vulnerabilities or risks associated with third-party or open-source components. This transparency allows for more effective vulnerability management, as organizations can quickly identify and respond to any security issues that may arise.
Maintenance phase
Even the most thorough testing processes cannot guarantee protection from newly-discovered vulnerabilities or unexpected runtime behavior in production environments. To mitigate these risks, it's important to maintain continuous security efforts throughout the application’s life cycle.
After deployment, you should implement a process for managing and deploying security patches and updates. Regular audits and additional security testing should be conducted to discover and fix new vulnerabilities, and incident response procedures should be in place to respond effectively to any security incidents.
Benefits of a secure SDLC
Implementing a secure software development life cycle can significantly benefit your business. Here are few of the most important ones:
Reduced cost
Addressing security issues during the development process is much easier than implementing costly changes later. You can save money by detecting security risks earlier.
Improved software quality
Incorporating a secure software development life cycle into your process improves the overall quality of your software. Development teams can address the issues better and develop a more reliable product.
Compliance requirements are met
Implementing a secure SDLC can help you meet compliance requirements and regulatory standards. Many industries, such as finance or healthcare, have strict regulations governing the security and privacy of data. By implementing a proper SSDLC process, you can meet these requirements and reduce the risk of penalties or legal action.
Customer Trust
A significant security breach can cause reputational damage and loss of customer trust, which may have a substantial impact on a business's success. Ensuring the development of secure software helps build and maintain customer trust.
Conclusion
In a highly demanding industry, it’s always important to incorporate the best possible solutions. Understanding the importance of a secure SDLC will benefit your organization. This approach ensures the SDLC process involves robust security measures at each step and helps you build high-quality products that meet clients’ expectations.
