For those leading software development teams, balancing the need for cybersecurity with the pressure to deliver projects on time is no easy task. There is often the perception that security tasks will slow down the development process, creating potential bottlenecks for release times. In fact, our recent research shows that 61% of developers are concerned about security hindering their workflow.
As with any project, one of the most important aspects is aligning everyone towards the same goal: ultimately secure and reliable applications. This means making the right choices when it comes to security so that their time is spent developing rather than solving problems. After all, it is much less disruptive and costly to fix software problems (including security issues) early in the lifecycle, rather than having to rework an application or remove it altogether to make repairs once it is running.
The key is embedding application security measures for your developers so that they are equipped with the tools and knowledge they need to work seamlessly and as frictionlessly as possible.
VP Portfolio Marketing, Checkmarx.
Prioritize impact
Effective business app security starts with prioritizing. Development teams have limited time, so they must focus on the vulnerabilities that are most critical. Prioritizing vulnerabilities involves assessing their severity, exploitability, and criticality of the application in which they reside.
A strong set of security tools should include mechanisms to accurately classify vulnerabilities. For example, vulnerabilities should be prioritized based on CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) scores, taking into account factors such as ease of exploitation and potential impact. Additionally, existing security tools should be integrated with threat intelligence feeds to correlate vulnerabilities with known exploits in the wild, allowing developers to focus on the issues that pose the most immediate risk.
Security testing should be performed at multiple stages of the app development lifecycle. Traditionally, security testing includes Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST). But there are now more things to consider, such as Software Composition Analysis (SCA), container security and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) security. And when it comes to prioritization, even runtime security provides data that can be correlated with SAST, SCA data, etc., to help with prioritization. SAST can identify vulnerabilities in source code, allowing developers to fix problems before the code is even compiled.
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) should follow in later phases and provide a comprehensive approach that ensures no critical vulnerabilities slip through the cracks. By prioritizing vulnerabilities at each stage, you can keep development on track while maintaining a strong security posture.
Integrate security into the development workflow
Applications today are much more complex than a few years ago. More than 50% of developers now use AI in their workflows, and the modern application consists of multiple components: proprietary source code, open source libraries, and even AI-generated code. This introduces new layers of security and legal risks, making it increasingly difficult for developers to stay ahead of potential vulnerabilities.
So, for security to become an integral part of the software development process, project leaders must introduce processes and practices that can easily integrate security measures into the developer’s overall workflow. It’s about making their lives easier, rather than putting a lot of new responsibilities on their shoulders.
Automating AppSec processes is a great solution here. Automated security scans can be integrated as part of the CI/CD pipeline, with results automatically placed in the IDE. From here they can check in their code so we can scan it for vulnerabilities and, with the results at hand, fix any issues as necessary. This immediate feedback loop allows teams to detect and address vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection, as early as possible. Real-time feedback on secure coding practices is provided in the IDE as a developer writes code, reinforcing secure coding practices, which are critical as application complexity grows.
In addition to IDE integration, security controls should also be part of the source control management (SCM) system. Automated security checks during code commits or pull requests ensure that vulnerabilities are flagged before they are merged into the main branch. This early intervention helps prevent unsafe code from entering production. In cases where vulnerabilities are found, automated systems can immediately generate bug tickets with detailed descriptions of the problem and guidance on how to resolve it, streamlining the remediation process.
With the increasing use of third-party and AI-generated code, automated code reviews are also essential for maintaining security standards. These assessments can be configured to enforce coding best practices and flag common security issues such as improper input validation, insecure configuration, or poor error handling. By integrating these assessments into the development workflow, teams can ensure security is built into every stage of the process, from the first line of code to deployment.
Even if they have the best security tools, developers need the right support to effectively fix vulnerabilities. Security tools must do more than just identify problems; they should provide actionable remediation guidance in addition to vulnerability reports. When a vulnerability is identified, developers should be equipped with the context they need to understand not only that a problem exists, but why it exists and how to fix it efficiently. Providing relevant code examples or references to documentation can help developers quickly address vulnerabilities without having to spend unnecessary time researching fixes.
To empower developers even more, it’s essential to invest in building a strong foundation of secure coding practices. Security training should be viewed as a core part of a developer’s professional development, providing continuous learning opportunities through e-learning platforms or in-person workshops. Hands-on, hands-on exercises are essential to help developers apply what they’ve learned to real-world scenarios. Topics such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and insecure deserialization should be covered in depth, along with best practices to prevent these vulnerabilities.
As developers participate in ongoing security training, their knowledge will be naturally integrated into their daily workflows over time. This proactive approach to security ensures they write secure code from the start, reducing the number of vulnerabilities in the codebase.
In short, application security should be seen as an integral part of development, not an obstacle. Prioritizing vulnerabilities, integrating security into existing workflows, and equipping developers with the right knowledge and tools are key strategies for maintaining both speed and security in software projects.
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