What is Security by Design / Secure by Design?

The need for robust and proactive security measures has never been more critical in the current cybersecurity landscape. Security by Design is a philosophy that emphasizes building security into systems from the beginning of development. 

Unlike traditional application security approaches that rely on testing to identify vulnerabilities after the fact, Security by Design integrates security activities during the planning, analysis, and design phases well before coding begins. 

This proactive approach ensures that potential security issues are addressed early, reducing the likelihood of vulnerabilities in the final product.

Key Practices of Security by Design

Security by Design encompasses a variety of processes and tools aimed at embedding security into the development lifecycle. The following key practices are essential components of this approach:

1. Training

Educating developers, QA engineers, and other project members in secure development practices. This training covers common vulnerabilities, secure coding techniques, and the importance of security throughout the development lifecycle.

2. Threat Modeling

Identifying inherent application threats based on their programming language, frameworks, and deployment environment. Threat modeling helps teams understand what can go wrong and how to prevent these issues.

3. Security Requirements and Secure Coding Guidelines

Establishing security and compliance requirements ensures appropriate safeguards are built into the system. This involves defining security controls and policies that must be implemented throughout development.

4. Secure Coding Guidelines

Creating and adhering to guidelines that promote secure coding practices. These guidelines serve as a reference for developers to follow best practices and avoid common pitfalls that could lead to vulnerabilities. They are effective implementation guidance for security requirements.

When to Adopt Security by Design

While there are many business benefits to adopting Security by Design, starting a program typically requires funding, a cultural process, and cultural change. In our experience, there are a few factors to consider when deciding whether or not to adopt a Security by Design program:

1. Custom Software Development: Organizations that build and ship software products or build a significant amount of custom software in-house are more likely to benefit from Security by Design than others. For example, a retailer that typically purchases software is less likely to benefit from the program than a Software As A Service (SAAS) company.
2. DevSecOps Adoption: DevSecOps is a philosophy or approach that integrates security into every step of the software development process and toolset. It emphasizes collaboration between development, security, and operations teams to ensure security is a shared responsibility. DevSecOps leverages automation and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to embed security checks and controls throughout the development lifecycle. In our experience, organizations typically embrace DevSecOps before they are ready to benefit from Security by Design.
3. Sensitive Data: Organizations that process, store, or transmit sensitive data in custom software are more likely to benefit from security by design. For example, companies that store customers’ personally identifiable information (PII), such as names and addresses, are more likely to benefit than those with low confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements.

Conclusion

Security by Design is a foundational approach to building secure software. By embedding security considerations into the earliest stages of the development process, organizations can create more robust, compliant, and high-quality applications. 

Practitioners often assume that because Security by Design is obviously beneficial, they fail to understand that it requires cultural change. Most people understand security as a quality you test for rather than something you build in. We suggest building a business case to facilitate process change if you consider implementing security by design. Organizations that build custom software, have adopted DevSecOps, and have sensitive data will most likely benefit from Security by Design.

By understanding and implementing Security by Design, organizations can proactively safeguard their software against the ever-increasing threat landscape, ensuring a secure and resilient digital future. This approach enhances software security and contributes to operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and overall business success.