Published on
It's a common misconception: time spent on secure coding means less time building features. But in today's threat-filled landscape, the true risk lies in not prioritizing security. This false dilemma ignores the massive productivity gains secure coding brings.
Let's break down this myth and see how secure coding actually fuels developer efficiency.
The Cost of Insecure Code
When calculating the cost of deploying secure coding training for your team, you also have to take into account the cost of not deploying secure coding training—the cost of insecure code in your product.
Sure, your team may be able to create and push code out quickly, but a single bug found after release can trigger an entire cycle of patching, testing, and redeployment. This drains developer hours that could be used for innovation.
Read The Article: Secure Coding Training: A Must During The Vulnerability Patching Crisis
In a 2024 Study on Secure Coding Training, 54 percent of respondents suffered a security incident due to an unpatched vulnerability, and only 11 percent of organizations believe they can effectively patch vulnerabilities in a timely manner.
Security vulnerabilities aren't just a theoretical risk. They lead to real-world problems:
- Decrease Consumer Trust - High-profile breaches erode customer trust and inflict lasting reputational harm, potentially affecting the bottom line.
- Compliance Oversight - Regulatory bodies like those enforcing GDPR or HIPAA can levy hefty fines for data protection failures from insecure code.
- Additional Costs - These costs add up far faster than the supposed slowdown from secure coding training.
How Shifting Left Can Lead to Long-Term Results
By integrating security practices early in the process, often called "shifting left," developers can identify and address vulnerabilities during coding and early testing. This proactive approach starkly contrasts the reactive, time-consuming, and expensive process of fixing vulnerabilities after software is released.
Read The Article: Just-In-Time vs Proactive Secure Code Training: Which One Should You Choose?
Shifting left can actually make your developers MORE productive in the following ways:
- Catching Bugs Early - Shifting left integrates testing and security checks earlier in the development cycle, so issues are found and fixed before a lot of code is written, saving developers time and effort on rework.
- Faster Feedback Loops - Shifting left fosters closer collaboration and quicker feedback between developers and other teams like QA, allowing them to address problems while the code is still fresh in their minds.
- Reduced Rework - Finding and fixing bugs early in the process reduces the need for extensive rework later on, freeing up developers to focus on new features and improvements.
Focusing on secure coding fosters a positive security culture within development teams. Developers gain confidence in their work, knowing they are contributing to the creation of secure and reliable software.
This sense of ownership and accomplishment contributes to a more positive and collaborative work environment, replacing the fear of vulnerabilities with a proactive approach to security.
Your Secure Coding Training Vendor Matters
The myth that secure coding training decreases developer productivity comes from years of training modules that have learners passively click through slides to check a box – this takes time away from their projects with no added value.
But the truth is, when secure coding training content is designed strategically by experts, that same amount of training time can be spent broadening their scope of knowledge and practicing hands-on activities. Tailoring the training to your team's specific frameworks and tools ensures that developers gain directly applicable skills, eliminating the need to translate abstract concepts into practical applications.
Read The Article: 3 Reasons Why Homegrown Secure Coding Training Falls Short
Recognizing that the security landscape is constantly evolving, ongoing training and reinforcement become essential to equip developers with the latest knowledge and best practices. Implementing a targeted training program incorporating these elements will empower your developers to write secure code from the outset, reducing the time and effort wasted on rework and fostering a more streamlined development process.
This not only increases developer productivity but also contributes to the overall security posture and long-term success of your software projects.
Secure Coding Training’s Real Effect on Developer Productivity
The notion that secure coding training hinders developer productivity is a dangerous misconception. Investing in quality training leads to robust, secure software, which can save substantial time and resources in the long run.
By shifting left and prioritizing secure coding practices, vulnerabilities are addressed proactively, reducing costly rework and the negative consequences of potential security incidents. Modern secure coding training, when designed and delivered effectively, empowers developers to write more secure code and do so with greater efficiency.
Ultimately, companies that embrace this approach gain the "secure productivity advantage" by delivering higher—quality, trusted software faster than their less security-conscious competitors.
Building Your Ideal Secure Coding Training Program
With pressure to maintain, if not increase, developer productivity, admins need to be able to build and maintain the ideal secure coding training program for their organization – and every organization is different.
That’s why the experts at Security Journey created the Seven Steps to an Ideal Secure Coding Training Program. This two-page guide gives key insights from our customers and experts at Security Journey to create a guide to help you get started with your secure coding training program.
Topics covered in the guide include:
- Planning Your Program
- Pulling Baseline Data
- Prioritizing Internal Communications
- Selecting Your Training Paths
- Incorporating Tournaments
- Building Security Champions
- Measuring Results
You can download this guide for free (no form fill needed) by clicking the link below:
Read more from:
Secure Coding Training