This article was written from a recent webinar, Development vs. Security: Make It Stop, from Security Journey's CMO and Security Evangelist, Amy Baker. You can watch the recording here.
We are currently in an application security dilemma that costs organizations millions of dollars annually.
Several factors contribute to the AppSec Dilemma, including:
The AppSec Dilemma is balancing the need for secure applications with the need to develop and deploy applications quickly. This is a complex challenge because security and speed are often seen as being at odds.
Development teams want to release faster.
Security teams want to reduce vulnerabilities.
Read More: Feeling Exhausted? The AppSec Dilemma Could Be to Blame
Development leaders and teams are facing mounting pressures, including rising vulnerabilities and the need for faster app releases. These challenges can hinder optimal performance and leave organizations feeling ill-equipped. But by working collaboratively with security teams and finding a balance between roles, both teams can contribute to the project's overall success.
Continuing the current status quo of pressured development teams with little security training working in an ever-growing field of new vulnerabilities can severely impact your business through financial losses, damaged reputation, and liabilities.
As a development leader, there are already so many challenges to overcome. The last thing you need is a security leader interrupting your workflow and adding more issues to your plate. However, this doesn't have to be the case.
With the right approach and collaboration, security and development teams can work together seamlessly to ensure that all bases are covered and nothing falls through the cracks. It's all about communication, collaboration, and creating secure applications.
It's time to bridge the divide between security and development teams to create a more productive software development lifecycle.
Read More: Bridging the Security and Development Divide
Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. (EMA) surveyed 129 professionals across multiple industry verticals, seeking to understand how organizations tackle the difficult challenge of developing secure software applications.
EMA also found that as many as 70% of organizations are missing critical security steps in their software development lifecycle (SDLC), highlighting a struggle with a 'shift-left' approach.
"We have seen a worrying increase in new vulnerabilities over the last several years. Unfortunately, while 99% of organizations have security awareness training programs, this approach does not go far enough for those in security-critical roles like developers," says Amy Baker, Security Education Evangelist at Security Journey.
Traditional solutions are tech-oriented, but the problem is not going away. Your team doesn't need another tool; you need a long-term culture solution.
You need to focus on three main pillars: people, process, and technology:
After reviewing the data, EMA believes the best approach to secure software development is a combination of code reviews (process), code scanning tools (technology), and a stronger emphasis on continuous, third-party training (people).
TO READ ALL INSIGHTS FROM THE EMA SECURE CODING PRACTICES RESEARCH,
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL PAPER.
When looking at how your organization handles threats, there are two approaches:
Each of these approaches has its own cost; let's take a look at the calculations.
It often takes up to 8 months for a vulnerability to be detected, prioritized, and remediated – making your application a sitting duck. When your team learns of a vulnerability, you must act quickly to remediate the problem.
Let's look at the calculations:
* This assumes a $150k salary.
While it may take months to remediate a vulnerability, you would probably want to avoid having your team redo completed work – this means writing secure code from the start.
There are many ways to train application security at your organization, from in-house program development to third-party platforms like Security Journey's AppSec Training, created by industry professionals.
Let's look at the calculations for a team of 100 developers using average pricing quotes:
Now it's time to answer the key question: What Is The ROI On Application Security Training?
Taking our calculations from above:
Now let's do the calculation for your ROI On Application Security Training:
This calculation shows that AppSec Education has a 5x ROI, assuming you can prevent the same 30% of vulnerabilities you would want to remediate each year.
Security Journey bridges the gap for faster, more secure development by taking a targeted, vulnerability-driven approach to application security education. With our AppSec Education Platform, you provide your organization with an entire suite of application security training solutions.
We start with foundational content to ensure that all participants in the SDLC understand basic security concepts and the significance of implementing them to maintain the security of your applications and products.