Security in Software Development – The Right Approach

How important is it today to take care of security in software development? Well, given the recent increase in successful cyber attacks caused by some applications’ vulnerabilities, building secure software from scratch has become extremely crucial!

Things you will learn

Security issues, such as cyber-attacks and data leaks are common in many applications. How can you prevent privacy issues when building software from scratch? We’ve prepared a bunch of useful tips on developing secure software that guarantees to deliver safe applications!

Let’s find out:

Importance of security in software development

Software security can’t take second place in the development process – it needs to be treated as the priority from the start. Building really secure software requires a bunch of good practices on all levels of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from the very first stage of planning to the final phase and maintenance.

Pro tip:

A well-rounded development lifecycle consists of a combination of both manual and automatic testing, which gives developers a chance to detect major bugs early. In order to ensure proper security management in the project, a software house should provide IT specialists with the necessary knowledge on how to prevent security issues from the start. It helps to navigate and fix the bugs before they cause some damage concerning privacy.

The exposure of software to cyber attacks is very high – cybercriminals are constantly trying to find security gaps in systems. Hence, making security a priority within the software development lifecycle is a proven way to create a more efficient guard against, e.g. data leaks.

How to approach security in software development?

How to take the right approach to security in software development and what methodologies are the most efficient? The best solution is going Agile. The main assumption of innovative Agile thinking is focusing on testing at every phase of the SDLC. Needless to say, implementing software security principles requires continuous testing across the SDLC. 

Ongoing testing is the best way to detect all privacy issues at every stage of software development. Here, taking the Agile approach comes out as the cheapest and the most beneficial solution. It enables checking on security errors step by step and allows you to respond to them when needed. It also prevents IT, teams, from handling a lot of errors at once. Gradual testing helps to avoid patching up privacy gaps overnight at the final stage of the project. Summing up, this approach is the cheapest and the most beneficial.

Pro tip:

At FireUp we create a workflow that fosters implementing software security rules. We always use top-notch testing tools and services that enable the development of secure applications at ease.

Check out our case study on how we developed an application for a fintech company. In this industry, taking care of the protection of all vulnerable data is the core.

Top best practices on managing security in software development

Managing software security isn’t as easy a ride as it may seem. Therefore, we’ve gathered the list of best practices for more secure coding from the very start of the IT project:

Automating daily tasks

Since automation is a powerful weapon for hackers – you can’t rely on manual techniques either. Automation is the proven way to defend your software from cyber attacks. Automating day-to-day operations will help detect security misconfigurations faster and improve the team’s workflow. As a result, it allows developers to switch their focus from mundane, repetitive tasks and devote time to more involving endeavors. 

Keeping documentation on security

Having security policy documentation will ensure workflow transparency in the project. Maintaining all the rules in one place is a great source of knowledge for all team members. It’s also extremely useful for everyone who is new to the project and needs fast verification of some procedures concerning security.

Pro tip:

Getting familiarized with security documentation is a good practice for every new employee. You can implement this as a part of the onboarding process.

Implementing security practices into the whole SDLC

The best way to always deliver safe products is to take care of security at every stage of the software development life cycle:

Planning

Handling security issues should start at the very first stage –  which is about planning and creating a concept. The step you can take at the beginning involves defining security requirements and setting up the goals for the project. At this stage, you should also select a secure SDL methodology. A really good practice is organizing training on security awareness for IT teams. Such an approach is the key to starting a project with well-prepared teams who have expert knowledge in application security.

Architecture

At this stage, every Software House should take care of detecting all potential security defects concerning the architecture and design. A really good way is analyzing possible danger scenarios and predicting at what stage cyber attacks may occur. As an outcome, an experienced IT team may invent great solutions to defend and ensure proper protection within a software architecture.

Implementation

Here, it’s good to remember to turn all security principles into coding routines. Developing security habits is the key to success. You can also take advantage of static code scanning thanks to SAST tools and automated code reviews to foster this phase.

Testing

At this phase, the main focus is on bug-fixing concerning security. The most important activity is discovering and fixing application errors. What may be helpful during testing is keeping consistent QA documentation.

Release

In order to release safe software without errors, you need to improve its features constantly. Logging and integrating real-time incident-spotting mechanisms may come in handy.

Maintenance

At the final stage of the project, every piece of important or sensitive data software may contain should be carefully protected.

If you want to discover more on how to protect your application from vulnerability issues, read our article.

Summary

Modern software requires a well-developed approach to security so as to ensure efficient protection from data breaches. How can a Software Hosue manage security issues effectively? A bunch of good practices for IT teams is the best way to avoid failure concerning privacy issues. Remember – even the best software isn’t fully-fledged if it’s not safe!