The art of security in software development: Opcito approach

Imagine millions of users’ credit card details and personal information exposed because of a security flaw. Unfortunately, this isn’t a hypothetical scenario. In 2017, Equifax, a major credit bureau, suffered a data breach that impacted a staggering 147 million Americans. This incident, and countless others like it, highlighted a critical failing in software development — the afterthought approach to security. But what if we built security into the very foundation of our software, from the first line of code to deployment and delivery?

This blog is about Opcito’s approach to “security by design” and how it is revolutionizing software development today.

What is security by design?

Forget bolting on security patches later! Security, by design, builds software with built-in defenses from the start throughout the entire development process. This proactive approach, known as “shifting left,” minimizes vulnerabilities and fosters client trust by prioritizing security from day one.

The problem with the traditional security approach

The traditional security method was first to develop the application and then look for ways to secure it. This ‘bolting it on later’ approach left software applications vulnerable throughout their lifecycle due to several critical shortcomings. Let’s look at these shortcomings:

• Reactive, not proactive: Security is treated as an afterthought, addressed with patches and fixes after the software is already built. This reactive approach allows vulnerabilities to remain undetected until exploited, potentially causing significant damage.
• Increased costs: Fixing security flaws after the completion of development is expensive and time-consuming. Reworking code and implementing patches can disrupt development timelines and budgets.
• Incomplete protection: Relying solely on perimeter defences like firewalls is insufficient. Traditional security testing leaves multiple blind spots. Hackers can find ways to bypass these measures, mainly if vulnerabilities exist within the software itself.
• Limited visibility: Traditional security testing often happens late in the development cycle, leaving multiple blind spots for vulnerabilities.

Opcito’s secure by design software development approach

At Opcito, we champion the concept of secure by design software development. Security shouldn’t be an afterthought bolted onto the finished product but rather a fundamental principle woven throughout the entire development lifecycle. Just like a well-designed fortress prioritizes security from the very foundation, building secure software requires the same meticulous planning from the beginning.

To illustrate this approach, let’s break down the development lifecycle into three key stages: requirement gathering & design, development & testing, and deployment & maintenance. We’ll then explore how security can be seamlessly integrated within each of these phases to ensure your software is fortified against modern threats.

Requirements gathering & design

• Security-focused requirements gathering: During this crucial phase, we consider security implications alongside functional needs. Think user data storage? We help you identify the most secure storage methods, access controls, and protection mechanisms. By integrating with collaborative tools like Azure Repos, (read more..)