The secret to successful software (4): embed security in right from the start

Security has always been key to software applications. Yet, as cyberattacks become more common, more sophisticated and more malicious, the need for software that is truly secure by design is now more crucial than ever. That’s why Cegeka’s software development culture increasingly focuses on producing secure code: our software engineers take security into account at every stage of the software development cycle – from planning through to building and deploying the software.

Our software engineers embed security in every stage of the software development cycle – from planning through to building and deploying the software.

Planning: defining relevant security features

In fact, producing secure applications starts before the actual software building phase begins. Cegeka kicks off every software development project with a series of workshops to clarify your expectations and needs. During this foundation phase, the project team prepares a list of functional and non-functional requirements, including security features like authorization and authentication.

Learn why the foundation phase is the basis for software success

Building and deploying: ensuring security throughout software development

When designing your application, while writing the code and just before deploying your software, we adhere to a wide range of best practices to uncover and correct vulnerabilities – and, as such, reduce the risk of potential security issues. Best practices include:

• Threat modeling: we identify probable cyberattacks and add relevant countermeasures to our applications;
• Code quality reviews: automatic, continuous code reviews – often complemented by manual tests – help to find potential weaknesses in code and fix them;
• PEN (penetration) testing: before deploying an application, security professionals from our Security Operations Center (SOC) simulate possible attacks to spot vulnerabilities that might have been overlooked by our software engineers;
• Checking the security of open-source software: using Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) tools, our applications are constantly scanned to detect open source vulnerabilities and verify compliance with open source licenses.

Adopting the right ways of working

With the need for strong security and compliance during the software development cycle growing exponentially, Cegeka has invested big in training sessions for the software team. Moreover, we constantly share best practices, policies and checklists to ensure that security is firmly embedded into the DNA of our digital factory.

In addition to our software developers, our sales teams increasingly highlight and consider ‘security’ and privacy aspects in their offerings. Thanks to our security-first approach, you can rest assured that your software meets the highest-possible security requirements and complies with all security-related laws and regulations.

It is key for everyone involved in the project to embrace a security-centric mindset, from software developers to sales reps.