Empowering Engineers: 5 Steps To Embed Cybersecurity In Software Development Lifecycle

It would be hard to find a business that isn’t cloud-based in 2023 and this phenomenon mostly occurred rapidly over the last few years. Engineers are challenged with the demand for innovation owing to the urgency to adopt new technologies without a full security view. Perhaps this is why human error is central to so many data breaches. The World Economic Forum noted that globally, 95 per cent of cybersecurity incidents can be attributed to human error and another study found that 52 per cent of cloud-based data breaches in India were due to human error. 

Cybersecurity cannot only be the responsibility of information security teams any longer, especially at the rate at which new technologies emerge. Every person across any organisation must embrace the need for cyber resilience and this includes software engineers. A security-first approach among engineering teams can be crucial to shoring up defenses. Engineers with a security mindset will be aware of the most critical vulnerabilities, misconfigurations and ensure the solutions they develop are secure by design. As businesses continue to migrate to the cloud, security needs to be embedded in the entire software development lifecycle because misconfigurations in the cloud are difficult to fix at runtime. 

By following these five steps, organisations can vastly improve their security and decrease the risk of cyberattacks significantly. 

Introduce a cybersecurity training program for engineers 

Engineers aren’t cybersecurity experts and without knowing how, they can’t be expected to integrate security into the development process. The Global Skills Gap Report 2023 revealed that 84 per cent of organisations in India said that unfilled IT positions and lack of training due to cyber skills shortage has increased cyber risk. A holistic security training program will ensure engineers have a detailed list of potential vulnerabilities, and information on how threat actors can leverage these vulnerabilities. Security hygiene also needs to be embedded within the code, so engineers are better placed to mitigate risks at the get-go. 

Move away from a reactive to proactive approach by “shifting left”

Only 19 per cent of organisations in India are very confident that they have adequately secured all common breach pathways. And largely due to the lack of importance placed on security. For instance, many organisations may allow developers to use code directly from open source libraries without clear plans on how to secure it. Secure software development begins with the code. Engineers need to be empowered to consider how to make their application secure as early as possible. Reviewing vulnerabilities at the end of the software development lifecycle can become a long and arduous process. When security becomes an afterthought in a race to roll out new products and services to market, it could significantly increase risk. The best approach is integrating security throughout the development process, a proactive approach to security, which decreases cyber risk significantly. 

Avoid shortcuts and encourage peer reviews

Engineers are expected to work quickly but when it comes to security, taking shortcuts can have disastrous consequences. Engineers must take the time to review the code and identify potential risks. Engineers know exactly how the application is built, and a security mindset, they are better placed to identify potential attack pathways and mitigate the gaps. 

Furthermore, the role of human error in data breaches is undeniable and it goes to say that organisations need to take more time to review the work done. With a system of peer reviews in place, it can reduce the chances of vulnerabilities or misconfigurations being overlooked. 

Maintain a unified library of all assets and solutions

Every company works with tech stacks that include software solutions, applications and more on a daily basis. Engineers need to look beyond the silos of their own software development process and consider the risks internal tools and third-party services pose. In India, third-party breaches and software supply chain compromise were among the top security concerns. Organisations can aid engineers by developing a unified library for vulnerabilities and updating it in real-time. Continuously monitoring the attack surface is key to mitigating security gaps.

Foster a culture of cyber resilience

Cyber adversaries are known to hone their methods, and are constantly looking for new ways to breach any organisation’s defenses. Software engineers must be encouraged to learn about the latest cybersecurity trends as this knowledge will help them build secure software. This could include reading security publications, attending conferences or even just establishing knowledge-sharing channels throughout the company. 

Software engineers should be viewing cybersecurity as a metric of success. By building solutions that are secure by design, they can establish deterrence against cyberattacks and become crucial actors in building cyber resilience.