The stages of a secure software development lifecycle involve multiple processes to deliver a secure software solution. They include the Design, Development/Acquisition, Testing, and Maintenance phases. Developing a secure software application is crucial in ensuring the integrity of the data and information that the system contains.
Design phase
The Design phase in a secure software development life cycle is one of the most critical stages in developing a secure software system. During this phase, the software developer must identify the project’s security requirements and determine its overall security architecture. It also determines the types of vulnerabilities that must be addressed and mitigated.
In this phase, the application’s security is determined by the type of security needed and the security protocols that must be applied. This phase also requires the analysis of the back-end and the front-end, the flow chart, and the application’s components, modules, and APIs. Once the design phase is complete, it must undergo the verification phase, which involves vulnerability scanning and penetration testing.
Development/acquisition phase
A secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) involves multiple stages that contribute to creating a secure product. The entire process must be oriented toward security and prioritized. It should also involve regular monitoring of the software and its components and periodic updates. The SDLC also includes plans to transition to a new system if the original system is no longer needed.
In a secure software development lifecycle, the development/acquisition phase involves defining and analyzing functional and security requirements. In this phase, the developer determines what should not happen when the user accesses the application. For example, the functional design of a website could include retrieving a user’s name, email address, phone number, and address. The application would also need to determine whether the user has a valid session token; if not, it should redirect the user to the login page.
Testing phase
The Testing phase in a secure software development life cycle involves assessing the software’s design for security risks. It includes various activities, such as threat modeling and gap analysis. In addition, it includes investigating the software’s behavior to identify potential security risks. This phase is critical to the development of secure software.
A quality assurance team lead will perform test planning and resource allocation during this phase. In addition, the process of generating code will be streamlined through detailed architecture and program-specific tools.
Maintenance phase
The Maintenance phase in a secure software development life cycle involves several key activities that help ensure that software is secure. These activities include performing a security risk analysis, reviewing software behavior, and collecting stakeholder requirements. A good software development life cycle also includes a security testing phase that can reduce vulnerabilities and flaws.
Security testing is an important part of any software development lifecycle, and the Maintenance phase is no exception. Veracode’s Static Analysis IDE enables developers to find and resolve security defects, and its Pipeline Scan tool provides fast feedback on security issues. This is especially beneficial for software developers when preparing a complicated release for multiple environments.