Imagine your team taking a great deal of time to create and maintain all your needed software. Everything’s functioning well, but your software security is weak. And then hackers attacked your software, and nothing helped secure your data.
In recent years, cyberattacks have risen at an alarming rate. Even with new features, unprotected software will still put your business at risk.
Although many teams think security’s more of a trouble, having one is a solid guard from cyberattacks. An example is adding protection into your SDLC.
But what is SDL and how can it help your website? This quick guide will help you understand the security development lifecycle.
What is SDL and Why you Need it
An SDL or Secure Development Lifecycle is a process that adds security to your software. This process will then make SDLC have a detailed plan on the things used for building apps.
SDL standardizes the security best suited across different products or apps. The process also uses established security activities. By doing that, implementing SDL becomes easier.
The secure development lifecycle originated in Microsoft to protect its products from cyberattacks. After its release, the security development model created an industry of its own.
Although there are different models of SDL right now, they all follow these phases.
- Planning and requirements
- Design
- Implementation and coding
- Testing
- Release and maintenance
Many developers only perform security-related tasks during the testing phase. When they do this, teams discover serious issues and bugs too late. Sometimes, other problems go unnoticed.
To avoid them, teams started integrating security activities to catch issues earlier.
Because of that, secure SDLCs started. Having a secure SDL strengthens the cybersecurity of small businesses. It also prioritizes the security of both the company and its clients.
It also reduces business risks by detecting flaws earlier in the process. An SDL can be another factor in reducing costs for business owners.
Nowadays, many development firms like Azure DevOps Services offer secure SDLs for businesses.
How Does SDL Work
Each SDL phase has security activities under the people-process-technology triangle. The process includes the central security team that handles and updates the SDL and product. It also has tools for checking for problems in the code or the running app.
Many businesses apply the SDL by adding them in their running development process. For instance, teams can perform a risk analysis in the design phase.
The SDL will work depending on each phase. During the first phase, the developers choose the best security processes to use in the product.
These practices often originate from industry standards. But past issue responses can also be the basis.
What happens after is a secure design. It quantifies the architecture and searches it for problems. This review often appears in a formal document or on a napkin.
In the implementation phase, secure codes get written. Programmers also need certain things to ensure higher chances of security.
After that, testing for security functions, scanning, and penetration happens. The scanning helps identify any bugs or issues within the app or product.
What is SDL: A Quick Guide About Security Development Lifecycle
Now you know what is SDL and how it protects your business from hackers and malware. Having a secure SDL protects you from overlooked issues and further costs.