Security Software Development : Assessing and Managing Security Risks

Threats to application security continue to evolve just as quickly as the systems that protect against cyber-threats. In many instances, traditional firewalls and other conventional controls can no longer get the job done. The latest line of defense is to build security features into software as it is being developed. Drawing from the author’s extensive experience as a developer, Secure Software Development: Assessing and Managing Security Risks illustrates how software application security can be best, and most cost-effectively, achieved when developers monitor and regulate risks early on, integrating assessment and management into the development life cycle. This book identifies the two primary reasons for inadequate security safeguards: Development teams are not sufficiently trained to identify risks; and developers falsely believe that pre-existing perimeter security controls are adequate to protect newer software. Examining current trends, as well as problems that have plagued software security for more than a decade, this useful guide: Outlines and compares various techniques to assess, identify, and manage security risks and vulnerabilities, with step-by-step instruction on how to execute each approach Explains the fundamental terms related to the security process Elaborates on the pros and cons of each method, phase by phase, to help readers select the one that best suits their needs Despite decades of extraordinary growth in software development, many open-source, government, regulatory, and industry organizations have been slow to adopt new application safety controls, hesitant to take on the added expense. This book improves understanding of the security environment and the need for safety measures. It shows readers how to analyze relevant threats to their applications and then implement time- and money-saving techniques