The rising demand has pushed software development companies to make software quicker than the competition to have the first mover’s advantage and capture the market. However, this surge in demand also attracts cyberattacks. The rush to deliver the product faster may also result in a security compromise by the development company. A secure software development lifecycle (SDL or SSDLC) is one of the most effective techniques for safe software pipelines. This content can be your perfect guide to safeguarding software pipelines through SSDLC.
Why is a Secure Software Development Lifecycle Necessary?
SSDLC helps organizations build and deliver secure software while providing customers with confidence in the protection of their data. A Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) is necessary for several reasons:
- Customer’s Peace of Mind: One of the main concerns for software users is the security of their data. They want assurance that their sensitive information is protected from cyberattacks. By implementing SSDLC, developers demonstrate their commitment to building secure software, giving users peace of mind about the safety of their data.
- Cost Saving on Issue Fixing: In traditional software development approaches, security issues are often discovered after the software is already built and deployed. Fixing these issues at a later stage can be expensive and time-consuming. SSDLC helps identify and address security vulnerabilities early in the development process, minimizing the costs associated with issue fixing.
- Quick Delivery: In today’s competitive market, organizations strive for faster delivery of software products. Integrating security practices throughout the entire development lifecycle, as facilitated by SSDLC, allows for the identification and mitigation of security risks at each stage. As a result, organizations can deliver software products more quickly while maintaining the required level of security.
Understanding the Process for Safe Software Development Lifecycle
The process for a safe software development lifecycle (SSDLC) consists of five phases. Here is an overview of each phase:
- Requirements Phase: This phase involves understanding the requirements of the software or feature being developed. Ideas are collected from stakeholders, and a security-first mindset is implemented. A threat model is created, defining security guidelines and controls for the project.
- Design Phase: In this phase, a technical design of the software is created. The security design is verified based on the threat model established in the previous phase. Actions such as reviewing security requirements, using threat modeling techniques, and defining design flaws are performed.
- Development Phase: Developers write the code and focus on using best practices to write secure code. Code scanning tools like application security testing (SAST) and software composition analysis (SCA) solutions are used to identify security issues. Security training is provided to enhance code quality and minimize security defects.
- Testing Phase: Testing occurs at multiple stages throughout the SSDLC. Tests are performed before code submission and may even be done in the production environment. The testing strategy depends on the overall implementation strategy, and automation is embraced to implement the tests.
- Release and Maintenance: The final phase is to release the software to the users. However, the work continues. After release, the software needs to be maintained and protected from potential threats. Staying updated with the latest security technologies and trends is essential. Penetration testing can help identify vulnerabilities that may have been missed earlier.
Best Practices for Safe Software Pipelines
There is no denying that implementing a secure software development lifecycle is effective for having safe software pipelines. As developers, it is necessary to take all the measures necessary to keep the developed software as secure as possible. With that in mind, here are the best practices you can combine with SSDLC for secure software pipelines.
1. Prioritize and Fix Major Issues First:
As security practices will be implemented in every development phase, several issues will be found. There will be an urge to fix many issues as soon as possible. However, there are better approaches than that. Before you fix them, it is best to sort them as per their severity and fix major problems first. Doing so will ensure that all the significant issues are fixed within the time, and the problems that do not require immediate fixing can be left for later stages.
2. Remain Open-minded:
SSDLC may be a new concept for many teams that face numerous cultural and process changes. A rigid mindset will not help such teams adapt to this change, resulting in inadequate performance. Therefore, it is necessary for not just the security team but every individual involved in the development process to have an open and growth mindset.
3. Define the Requirements Clearly:
The requirement phase is the foremost phase in the development process and sets the base of the software. Being a pivotal part of the process, it is necessary to define requirements as clearly as possible so that different teams can understand them and act accordingly.
Safe Software Pipelines Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1: Are there any limitations of a secure software development lifecycle?
SSDLC surely makes the software pipeline secure and generates users’ confidence in the software. However, it also comes with a few limitations that may hinder the lifecycle, and those are:
a. Organizations working on small projects may feel that the additional efforts and expense may be too much for the project.
b. Making numerous changes in the process can be daunting for some teams.
Teams not having access to advanced resources are incapable of getting the most out of SSDLC.
Q2: Does SSDLC guarantee the utmost protection from cyberattacks?
Implementing SSDLC makes software pipelines safer than before. Understanding the process includes making several changes in the process, specifically focusing on security.
But, it does not introduce an entirely new process of software development. Therefore, it enhances the existing process regarding security. With that in mind, it can be understood that SSDLC works collaboratively with other security practices.
Moreover, developers should know that no security practice can guarantee protection from any attack type. The best is to implement various security practices to ensure the utmost protection from cyberattacks.