Secure Software Engineering

Lecture 1:
Secure Software Development Life Cycle
(SSDLC)
Content of this course
• Introduction to Secure Software Engineering
– Secure Software Development Life Cycle (S-
SDLC)
• Secure Software Development Models/Methods
• Security Requirements Engineering (Risk
analysis - Security architecture)
• Secure Software Design Principle - Threat
Modeling
• Mid Exam
• Software vulnerabilities -Secure Coding
Practices
• Secure Code Review and Static Analysis
• Security Testing Techniques - Security
assessment
Textbooks and References:
• Lectures Slides
• Threat Modeling Designing for Security –
by Adam Shostack
Assessment Methods:
• Class Attendance & Participation ------>
10%
• Midterm exam ----------------------------> 10%
• Lab -----------------------------------------> 30%
• Final exam --------------------------------> 50%
 What is Secure SDLC
• Secure Software Development Life Cycle
(SSDLC) ensures that computer programs
are built with security in mind right from
the beginning.
• SSDLC involves planning, designing, coding,
testing, deploying, and maintaining
software while consistently addressing
security concerns at each step.
• SSDLC aims to create safer and more
trustworthy software applications.
 Importance of Secure SDLC
• Software Security is more important than ever.
• 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.
• As cyber threats grew in complexity, the
realization dawned that addressing security
late in the game wasn't effective.
• With SSDLC, security is thought about from the
very beginning to the end of making the
software.
• This is a proactive way of dealing with security
risks, finding and fixing them early so that the
chances of cyber-attacks are minimized.
 Proactive vs. Reactive SDLC
• Setting up an SDLC can be divided into two major
approaches: proactive and reactive..
• The proactive approach concerns preventing all
possible flaws and breaches at the very beginning
of the project, implementing solutions in a secure
way..
• The reactive approach aims to ensure security
before the release, and to maintain it throughout
the product's existence.
 Evolution of Secure SDLC
• By the understanding that dealing with
security issues later on was not a good
strategy, the evolution of SDLC shifted
towards making security a fundamental
part right from the beginning of the
development cycle.
 Key Principles of Secure SDLC
• The key principles of SSDLC lay out the
fundamental ideas guiding the process of creating
secure software.
• These principles help developers and teams
understand how to approach security in each
stage of development.
 Key Principles of Secure SDLC
• Security by Design: means including security
requirements in the initial planning and design
stages of development.
• Continuous Monitoring: is an ongoing process of
regularly checking and ensuring the security of
the software at every step of its development. It's
not a one-time thing but a continuous effort to
find and fix security issues throughout the entire
development process.
• Risk Assessment: involves evaluating and
understanding potential security risks early in the
development process. It includes identifying
vulnerabilities and deciding which risks need the
most attention and quick action to reduce
potential threats.
 Key Principles of Secure SDLC
• Education and Training: are essential to make
sure everyone involved in creating the software,
especially developers, knows about security
issues. It emphasizes providing the necessary
training so that individuals have the skills to
handle security concerns effectively.
• Collaboration: stresses the importance of
teamwork. It involves encouraging collaboration
between different teams, like developers,
operations, and security teams. This ensures that
everyone is working together, sharing knowledge,
and coordinating efforts to achieve common
security goals during the software development
process.
 Phases of Secure SDLC
• The phases guide the step-by-step process from
the initial planning to the ongoing maintenance of
the software.

• Planning:
– In this stage, the main focus is on figuring out
the security requirements for the software.
– It includes identifying possible risks and
creating a plan for how to make the software
secure from the beginning.
 Phases of Secure SDLC
• Design:
– During this phase, the plan for security is put
into action.
– It involves making decisions about how to build
security features into the software.
– The goal is to ensure that the design can
handle potential security problems.
• Implementation:
– In this phase, developers start building the
software using secure coding practices (writing
code in a way that reduces the chances of
security problems)
– Code reviews are done to catch and fix any
security issues.
 Phases of Secure SDLC
• Testing:
– it is all about checking how secure the software
is.
– trying to break into the software to find
vulnerabilities, scanning the code for potential
problems, and making sure the software can
handle different security threats.
• Deployment:
– the focus is on making sure the release process
is secure, taking precautions to avoid any
security issues during this stage.
• Maintenance:.
– This involves keeping an eye on security and
regularly updating the software to deal with
new threats, making sure it stays secure over
 5 Secure SSDLC Best Practices
• Implementing Secure SDLC best practices
is crucial for creating robust and secure
software applications.
• These practices are practical guidelines
that help developers and teams integrate
security measures effectively throughout
the development process.
 5 Secure SSDLC Best Practices
• Threat Modeling:
– it involves identifying and analyzing potential
threats to the software during the design phase.
– This proactive approach helps in understanding
and addressing potential security risks early in
the development process.
• Code Reviews:
– Conducting regular code reviews is another key
practice.
– This involves team members reviewing each
other's code with a specific focus on security.
– It helps in identifying and rectifying security
issues in the code before it gets integrated into
the larger software system.
 5 Secure SSDLC Best Practices
• Automated Testing:
– Implementing automated testing tools is
critical for identifying vulnerabilities efficiently.
– These tools can include static code analyzers,
dynamic application security testing (DAST),
and other automated testing mechanisms.
– Automated testing provides a systematic and
consistent way to assess the security of the
code.
• Incident Response Planning:
– Developing and testing incident response plans
is a best practice for effectively handling
security incidents.
– This involves having a clear plan in place to
respond to and recover from security breaches.
 5 Secure SSDLC Best Practices
• Secure Coding Guidelines:
– Establishing and enforcing secure coding
guidelines is essential for promoting consistent
security practices across the development
team.
– These guidelines provide developers with
specific instructions on how to write secure
code, covering areas such as input validation,
authentication, and encryption.
SDLC Process vs SSDLC Process
 SDLC Process vs SSDLC Process
Secure Software
Software Development Life
Aspect Development Life
Cycle (SDLC)
Cycle (SSDLC)

Emphasizes security
Primarily on delivering functional
Focus software.
considerations
throughout the process.

Integrating security
Meeting business requirements
Objective and functionality.
measures to protect
against vulnerabilities.

Incorporates security-
Typically includes phases like
related phases, such as
planning, analysis, design,
Phases implementation, testing,
threat modeling, secure
coding, and continuous
deployment, and maintenance.
monitoring.

Security Security is considered at

Security is addressed mainly
Considerat during the testing phase.
every stage, from design
ions to deployment.
 SDLC Process vs SSDLC Process
Secure Software
Software Development
Aspect Development Life
Life Cycle (SDLC)
Cycle (SSDLC)

Security testing is
Security testing is often a
Testing separate phase.
integrated into each
phase of development.

Comprehensive
documentation on
Documentat Documentation focuses on
security measures,
ion functionality and features.
threat models, and risk
assessments.
May involve slightly
Developme Emphasizes timely delivery of longer development
nt Speed software features. cycles due to added
security considerations.
May require more effort
Generally more adaptable to
to incorporate changes
Adaptability changes in business
due to the stringent
requirements.
security focus.
 The Benefits of SSDLC
• SSDLC helps catch security issues early in the
software development process, reducing the
chances of problems surfacing after deployment.
• By making security a priority, SSDLC builds trust
among users and stakeholders, creating a reliable
reputation for the software.
• Adhering to SSDLC practices ensures compliance
with regulations, meeting industry-specific security
standards.
• Identifying and fixing security issues during
development is more cost-effective than dealing
with breaches post-deployment.
• Secure software development enhances the
organization's reputation, fostering user confidence
and loyalty.
 The Benefits of SSDLC
• Users feel more secure with products developed
using SSDLC, resulting in higher satisfaction and
trust.
• Proactive security measures minimize downtime by
preventing and addressing security incidents
promptly.
• SSDLC safeguards sensitive data, providing
protection against unauthorized access and
potential breaches.
• Securely developed software has a longer life cycle,
adapting to evolving security threats and
technology changes.
• Organizations gain a competitive edge by
prioritizing security through SSDLC, attracting users
who value the safety of their data and transactions.
Key Security Challenges in SSDLC
• When it comes to making software, there
are some big challenges with keeping it
secure.
 Key Security Challenges in SSDLC
• Lack of Security Knowledge:
– One of the main problems is that not everyone
involved in making software knows enough about
keeping it secure.
– This can lead to mistakes and weaknesses in the
software.
• Fast-paced Development:
– Developers often have to work really quickly to
meet deadlines. Because of this rush, they might
not have enough time to focus on making the
software secure, which can be a problem.
• Sophistication of Cyber Threats:
– Cyber threats are getting more advanced and
tricky. This makes it harder for developers to
predict and protect the software from these
evolving risks.
 Key Security Challenges in SSDLC
• Limited Awareness of Security Issues:
– Sometimes, the people working on the
software may not know all the security issues
that can come up.
– This lack of awareness can mean that
important security measures get missed.
• Time Constraints:
– The pressure to finish and release software on
time can lead to missing out on important
security steps.
– Quick development might mean not catching
potential problems that could be used by bad
actors.
 Examples of a SSDLC
• The following are a few instances of well-known
frameworks for creating safe software development
lifecycles:.
1. NIST Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF):
– The National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST), which is also responsible for maintaining the
National Vulnerability Database (NVD), which keeps
track of publicly known software vulnerabilities,
developed the secure software development
framework (SSDF).
– Giving developers instruction in secure code to
guarantee security right away
– Security issues can be identified as near to the point
of remedy as feasible by automating and integrating
security tests.
– Security libraries and open source components used
in projects.
 Examples of a SSDLC
2. MS Security Development Lifecycle (MS SDL):
– Introduced by Microsoft to provide reliable
security considerations to support the
contemporary development workflow.
– A selection of procedures selected specifically
to support security assurance and compliance
needs are included in the SDL.
– The SDL can help developers cut down on the
quantity and seriousness of vulnerabilities in
their codebase, as well as the expenses and
delays associated with late-stage remediation.
 Examples of a SSDLC
3. OWASP Comprehensive, Lightweight Application
Security Process (CLASP):
– Best practices for security are implemented by
the rule-based components that make up CLASP.
– t can assist developers in implementing security
in a systematic and repeatable manner and
securing apps early in the development cycle.
– CLASP assists teams in addressing particular
vulnerabilities and coding flaws that may be used
to cause significant security breaches.
– https://owasp.org/www-project-integration-standa
rds/writeups/owasp_in_sdlc
/
– https://owasp.org/www-project-developer-guide/dr
aft/foundations/secure_development
/