The Secure Software Development Life Cycle (SSDLC) is a framework for developing secure software. It is a set of processes and activities that organizations follow to ensure that their software is developed with security in mind.
The goal of the SSDLC is to identify and mitigate potential security vulnerabilities and threats in the software development process, so that the final product is as secure as possible. The SSDLC typically includes activities such as threat modeling, secure coding practices, security testing, and security reviews.
The secure software development life cycle (SSDLC) is the process of ensuring security is an integral part of every phase of software development. In today’s world, building secure software is more important than ever. As software permeates every aspect of our lives, from our phones to our cars to critical infrastructure, hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities to exploit. SSDLC aims to “shift left” and address vulnerabilities early in the development process, rather than relying solely on testing completed software for security issues.
Why is SSDLC Important?
There are several key reasons why utilizing SSDLC is critical
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Prevent security issues from making it to production – Finding and fixing vulnerabilities early in development is exponentially cheaper than addressing them post-deployment, Studies show it can cost 100x more to address security issues late in the software development life cycle
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Empower developers to build secure code – SSDLC makes AppSec part of every developer’s responsibilities, rather than relying on a separate security team. This means the people closest to the code are driving security efforts.
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Move faster while remaining secure – With the right automation and processes in place, SSDLC doesn’t slow development velocity. And it results in more secure software that can move to production faster.
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Reduce risk across the business – Ultimately, SSDLC minimizes security risks and reduces the likelihood of incidents like data breaches which can be catastrophic for companies.
What are the Phases of SSDLC?
SSDLC injects security into every phase of the typical software development life cycle:
1. Requirements Gathering
- Identify security requirements needed for features
- Prioritize security alongside other requirements
2. Design
- Perform threat modeling to find design flaws
- Create secure architecture that protects data/systems
3. Development
- Utilize secure coding best practices
- Perform static analysis testing to find code issues
- Leverage Software Composition Analysis on open source libraries
4. Testing
- Execute penetration testing to find vulnerabilities
- Perform Dynamic Application Security Testing to catch security flaws
5. Deployment & Maintenance
- Scan for vulnerabilities in production environments
- Create process for responding to zero-day threats
How to Ensure a Secure SDLC
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Educate developers – Provide secure coding training to build AppSec knowledge.
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Automate security testing – Utilize SCA, SAST, DAST, and more to shift left.
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Prioritize vulnerabilities – Focus on high risk/critical issues first.
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Collaborate across teams – Include security team members in planning and design.
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Tie efforts to modernization initiatives – Cloud transformations or CI/CD adoption present opportunities.
Key Benefits of Adopting SSDLC
Organizations who embrace SSDLC see a number of benefits:
- More secure software reaches production
- Reduced risk profile and severity of security incidents
- Issues fixed for ~100x less cost than later in cycle
- Developer productivity unaffected or improved
- Better alignment across dev, ops, and security teams
- Higher customer satisfaction and brand reputation
For modern software teams operating in a world full of cyber threats, utilizing secure development processes is no longer optional. SSDLC represents the future of how security-minded organizations will build software. With the right focus on people, process, and technology, teams can develop high quality and secure software without sacrificing speed.
Best Practices to Secure the SDLC
Some ways to prepare your organization for secure software development include:
- Establishing a secure software development policy: Having a clear policy in place that outlines the expectations and requirements for secure software development can help ensure that all team members understand the importance of security and are aware of the specific steps they need to take to ensure the security of the software.
- Providing training and resources: Providing training and resources to team members on secure software development best practices can help ensure that they are able to develop secure software. This may include providing training on secure coding practices, threat modeling, and other relevant topics.
- Establishing a secure development environment: Ensuring that the development environment is secure can help prevent security breaches during the development process. This may include implementing controls such as access controls and vulnerability management.
- Implementing a secure change management process: Having a secure change management process in place can help ensure that all changes to the software are reviewed and approved by appropriate parties before being implemented. This can help prevent unapproved changes from being made that could introduce vulnerabilities into the software.
Why Is SSDLC Important?
The SSDLC is important because it helps organizations develop secure software that is resistant to attacks and can protect sensitive data. In todays digital landscape, software security is more important than ever, as software is used to store and process vast amounts of sensitive information. If software is not developed with security in mind, it can be vulnerable to attacks that can compromise sensitive data and cause harm to individuals and organizations.
By following the SSDLC, organizations can ensure that their software is developed with security considerations at every stage of the development process. This helps to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities and threats before they become a problem, and it can help organizations build a reputation for developing secure software. Additionally, SSDLC can help comply with industry regulations and standards that require secure software development practices.
Simple Guide to Secure SDLC – Audrey Nahrvar
What is a secure software development life cycle process?
Secure software development life cycle processes incorporate security as a component of every phase of the SDLC. While building security into every phase of the SDLC is first and foremost a mindset that everyone needs to bring to the table, security considerations and associated tasks will actually vary significantly by SDLC phase.
How secure is your software development life cycle (SDLC)?
Security applies at every phase of the software development life cycle (SDLC) and needs to be at the forefront of your developers’ minds as they implement your software’s requirements. In this article, we’ll explore ways to create a secure SDLC, helping you catch issues in requirements before they manifest as security problems in production.
Should security be included in the software development lifecycle?
Integrating security into the software development lifecycle should look like weaving rather than stacking. There is no “security phase,” but rather a set of best practices and tools that can (and should) be included within the existing phases of the SDLC.
What is a security development lifecycle (MS SDL)?
Many secure SDLC models are in use, but one of the best known is the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (MS SDL), which outlines 12 practices organizations can adopt to increase the security of their software.
