Technology Transfer: A Software Security Marketplace Case Study

With the dramatic increase in the number of software security problems, a growing body of research in how to integrate security within software development is notable. Many security approaches have appeared to solve security problems by applying a set of activities through Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Among the top approaches are McGraw's Touchpoints, Comprehensive Lightweight Application Security Process (CLASP) from Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) organization, and Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (SDL). In this paper, we evaluate these three security approaches by discussing their common process, strength, and limitations. Moreover, we discuss why these approaches do not effectively increase software security. Finally, we set the stage for a future framework to enhance and simplify the application of various security activities within the SDLC.

Software security has become increasingly important because the malicious attack and other hacker risks of a computer system have grown popularity in the last few years. As a result, several researchers have examined security solutions as early as the requirement engineering phase. With the growth of the software business and the internet, there is a need to understand the security risks against each phase of the software development life cycle (SDLC). This study aims to empirically investigate and prioritize the risks that could negatively impact the software security aspects of SDLC in the context of global software development (GSD). To achieve the study objectives, we conducted an industrial empirical study to determine the impact of software security threats against each phase of SDLC. Furthermore, the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) was used to prioritize the list of software security risks against the SDLC. The results and analysis of this study provide a ranked‐based decision‐making framework, which assists the practitioners in considering the most critical security risks on priority. The results show “improper plan for secure requirement identification, inception, authentication, authorization, and privacy,” “lack of threat models updating,” “lack of output validation,” “lack of certification in the final release and archive,” and “spoofing” as the top‐ranked security risks of SDLC in GSD. In addition, the application of FAHP is novel in this domain as it is helpful to address multicriteria decision‐making problems.

The primary objective of this chapter is to evaluate the cybersecurity framework for software security, which has gained significant importance due to the rise in malicious attacks and other hacker-related threats to computer systems in recent years. As a result, numerous researchers have explored security solutions from the earliest stages of requirement engineering. Given the growth of the software industry and the internet, it is essential to understand the security threats associated with each stage of the software development life cycle (SDLC). To address this need, we conducted an industrial empirical study to assess the impact of software security threats at every stage of the SDLC. Cybersecurity has become a top priority for businesses across all industries and sizes as digital technology and data are now integral components of the commercial landscape.

“Essential Security Practices for Fortifying Mobile Apps” is a definitive guide designed to empower developers, security professionals, and organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to secure mobile applications in an increasingly complex digital landscape. This comprehensive book covers every aspect of mobile app security, providing actionable insights and practical strategies to protect apps from the ever-evolving threat landscape. The book begins with an Introduction to Mobile App Security (Chapter 1), where readers are introduced to the critical importance of securing mobile apps. It discusses common security threats, the principles of security by design, and the unique challenges faced in mobile app development. The chapter also includes case studies of major security breaches, offering real-world context to the concepts discussed. In Secure Development Lifecycle (Chapter 2), the book emphasizes the importance of integrating security into the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Topics such as threat modeling, secure coding practices, and penetration testing are explored in depth. This chapter also covers the role of continuous integration in maintaining security and the necessity of incident response planning and security training. Authentication and Authorization (Chapter 3) dives into the mechanisms that ensure only authorized users have access to mobile apps. It covers secure authentication methods, including multi-factor authentication and token-based authentication, as well as best practices for session management and password storage. The chapter provides guidelines to avoid common authentication flaws that could compromise app security. Data Protection and Privacy (Chapter 4) addresses the crucial aspects of encrypting data both at rest and in transit. It discusses secure data storage, privacy by design principles, and the handling of personally identifiable information (PII). Readers will learn about secure data deletion and compliance with data protection regulations, as well as the use of secure cryptographic libraries. Network Security (Chapter 5) explores the protocols and techniques needed to secure communication between mobile apps and their backend systems. The chapter covers the correct use of TLS/SSL, protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks, and securing backend APIs. It also discusses the importance of monitoring and logging network activity to detect and respond to potential threats. The book then moves on to Secure Coding Practices (Chapter 6), providing guidance on avoiding common coding vulnerabilities through input validation, error handling, and defensive programming techniques. It also covers secure code reviews and the best practices for using mobile platform APIs securely. Mobile Device Security (Chapter 7) shifts focus to the security of the devices on which mobile apps run. The chapter discusses mobile device threats, secure device configuration, and the use of mobile device management (MDM) solutions. It also addresses the security features of mobile devices, such as secure boot and remote wiping, which are essential for protecting against device theft or loss. In Secure Deployment and Distribution (Chapter 8), readers will learn about secure strategies for deploying and distributing mobile apps. Topics include code signing, protecting against repackaging and tampering, and securely distributing sensitive data. The chapter also covers handling updates and patches, ensuring that apps remain secure after deployment. Security Testing and Validation (Chapter 9) provides an in-depth look at the various types of security testing, including automated and manual testing techniques. It discusses penetration testing best practices, vulnerability assessment, and the integration of security testing into CI/CD pipelines. Regular security audits and addressing found vulnerabilities are also emphasized. Incident Response and Management (Chapter 10) guides readers in building an effective incident response team and creating a robust incident response plan. The chapter covers the steps for detecting, analyzing, containing, eradicating, and recovering from security incidents. Post-incident analysis and communication with stakeholders are also discussed, alongside legal and regulatory considerations. Finally, Future Trends in Mobile App Security (Chapter 11) explores the emerging threats and advancements in mobile security technologies. The chapter discusses the role of artificial intelligence in security, the integration of IoT with mobile devices, and the potential of blockchain in enhancing mobile security. It also highlights the importance of user education and awareness in safeguarding mobile applications in the future. “Essential Security Practices for Fortifying Mobile Apps” is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in the development, deployment, and management of mobile applications, offering a thorough understanding of the security challenges and the strategies needed to overcome them.

Early identification of defects and prevention of defects migration are key goals of the software security testing process. Early integration of security testing activities into the development lifecycle leads to secure software development. The prescribed key activities of security testing are closely interconnected with security development life cycle to deliver secure software. Software test process elaborates various testing activities and describes which activity is to be carried out when. Given the need and significance of phased approach of security testing, this paper proposes different testing activities to be carried out while integrating it within the security development life cycle.

The growth of web-based applications has increased tremendously from last two decades. While these applications bring huge benefits to society, yet they suffer from various security threats. Although there exist various techniques to ensure the security of web applications, still a large number of applications suffer from a wide variety of attacks and result in financial loses. In this article, a security-testing framework for web applications is proposed with an argument that security of an application should be tested at every stage of software development life cycle (SDLC). Security testing is initiated from the requirement engineering phase using a keyword-analysis phase. The output of the first phase serves as input to the next phase. Different case study applications indicate that the framework assists in early detection of security threats and applying appropriate security measures. The results obtained from the implementation of the proposed framework demonstrated a high detection ratio with a less false-positive rate.

In todays world, software security has become essential for protecting the overall organizations operations. Mostly software development companies are adopting various strategies to build secure software to cope with the challenges of the client organization. Information become threatened due to connection with the cyber world, and it requires better security mechanisms. Software development organizations are receiving pressure from their clients to focus on the enhancement of security during the whole software development life cycle (SDLC). This protocol aims to review the literature in a systematic way to identify the state-of-the-art of software security to be considered by Global Software Development (GSD) vendor organizations during the development of a secure software as it evolves from requirements engineering to its final disposal. In order to improve security processes in the context of software development, our current research developed a Systematic Mapping Study (SMS) protocol. Presently, we are in the implementation phase of the protocol for the development of secure software. The expected outcomes of this SMS will be a list of security measurements and their solutions to be incorporated by GSD vendor organizations in each phase of the SDLC. This will also give a direction for new research in this area.

Integrating security at each phase of the software Development Life cycle (SDLC) has become an urgent need. Moreover, security must not be overlooked at early phases of SDLC. This helps to minimize cost and efforts for later phase of the life cycle. In addition, software security metrics are the tools to judge level of security of software. Without the use of the metrics, no one can ensure the usefulness of any approach which claims to improve security of the software. The paper presents a phase-wise review of security metrics and the issues in their adaptation. Though there are security metrics available for each phase of the software development life cycle, their usefulness in the software industry or in research is in question without their validation. In addition, a concrete research is needed to develop security metrics at early phases of software development life cycle.

With the evolution of software systems, their size and complexity are rising rapidly. Identifying vulnerabilities as early as possible is crucial for ensuring high software quality and security. Just-in-time (JIT) vulnerability prediction, which aims to find vulnerabilities at the time of commit, has increasingly become a focus of attention. In our work, we present a comparative study to provide insights into the current state of JIT vulnerability prediction by examining three candidate models: CC2Vec, DeepJIT, and Code Change Tree. These unique approaches aptly represent the various techniques used in the field, allowing us to offer a thorough description of the current limitations and strengths of JIT vulnerability prediction. Our focus was on the predictive power of the models, their usability in terms of false positive (FP) rates, and the granularity of the source code analysis they are capable of handling. For training and evaluation, we used two recently published datasets containing vulnerability-inducing commits: ProjectKB and Defectors. Our results highlight the trade-offs between predictive accuracy and operational flexibility and also provide guidance on the use of ML-based automation for developers, especially considering false positive rates in commit-based vulnerability prediction. These findings can serve as crucial insights for future research and practical applications in software security.

The software development process model or what is commonly called SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) is one of the Software Engineering (RPL) course materials in the Information Engineering Education (PTI) undergraduate study program where one of the competencies is understanding and knowing the concepts of device engineering software that can be applied in the software development life cycle which is summarized in the material for the SDLC software development process model. This material is the initial material that must be mastered by students to develop quality software. The use of interactive and interesting computer assisted learning media is expected to help the stages of the student learning process properly. This requires an interactive learning multimedia application. The purpose of this research is to develop interactive learning media as an alternative to independent learning tools to assist students in mastering the Software Development Process Model (SDLC) material for students and to find out the feasibility of multimedia application products for learning the Software Development Process Model (SDLC). The research and development methodology used in this research is Research and Development (R&D) with Borg and Gall's development steps which include: (1) Research and data collection; (2) Planning; (3) Development of product drafts; (4) Initial field trials; (5) Revision of trial results (6) Field trials; (7) Product improvement; (8) Field implementation test; (9) Completion of the final product; and (10) Dissemination of implementation. This methodology covers all matters relating to development to produce quality interactive learning media software. Based on the trials, the results obtained were 90.63 percent from media experts, 98.08 percent from material experts, 85.46 percent from initial field trials, 84.56 percent from field trials, and 86.27 percent from field implementation trials. The average value obtained is 89 percent based on the results of the overall data analysis. The conclusion of this research is that the development of multimedia applications for learning the Software Development Process Model (SDLC) is feasible as an independent learning medium. The product produced in this development research is a multimedia application for learning flash-based software development process (SDLC) models.

The disconcerting increase in the number of security attacks on software calls for an imminent need for including secure development practices within the software development life cycle. The software security management system has received considerable attention lately and various efforts have been made in this direction. However, security is usually only considered in the early stages of the development of software. Thus, this leads to stating other vulnerabilities from a security perspective. Moreover, despite the abundance of security knowledge available online and in books, the systems that are being developed are seldom sufficiently secure. In this paper, we have highlighted the need for including application context sensitive modeling within a case-based software security management system. Furthermore, we have taken the context-driven and ontology-based frameworks and prioritized their attributes according to their weights which were achieved by using the Fuzzy AHP methodology.

This chapter focuses on ways, practices, and resources available to protect data in DevSecOps processes, an essential element of application development. It focuses on software security in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) context, including secure code, data-covering techniques like masking and encryption, and role-based access. Innovative examples of appropriate organizations like Netflix or Capital One show the necessity of performing preventive management of data breaches. Another interesting trend the chapter discusses is zero trust and AI in cybersecurity. Thus, improving DevSecOps strategies will help organizations reduce risks, comply with regulatory requirements, and reign in threats that exploit the advancing technologies.

Security is often an afterthought when developing software, and is often bolted on late in development or even during deployment or maintenance, through activities such as penetration testing, add-on security software and penetrate-and-patch maintenance. We believe that security needs to be built in to the software from the beginning, and that security activities need to take place throughout the software lifecycle. Accomplishing this effectively and efficiently requires structured approach combining a detailed understanding on what causes vulnerabilities, and how to prevent them. In this paper we present a process for software security that is based on vulnerability cause graphs, a formalism we have developed for modeling the causes of software vulnerabilities. The purpose of the software security process is to evolve the software development process so that vulnerabilities are prevented. The process we present differs from most current approaches to software security in its high degree of adaptability and in its ability to evolve in step with changing threats and risks. This paper focuses on how to apply the process and the criteria that have influenced the process design

The rising of technology in the 21st century grows in a way that we never thought of before. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted many organizations in different sizes, specialties, and sectors to work online, resulting in a critical need to secure their software, applications, and web-based applications. Furthermore, Organizations that do not implement security in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) process often discover that their applications suffer from security flaws and security bugs, thus exposing their applications to attacks. Applying security measures to the SDLC will ensure that applications are secure from the early planning stages until release. Penetration testing is an essential security measure and is counted as one of the best security practices applied to applications because it focuses on the technical part of application security. Each kind of application the organization uses, in-house developed applications or on-the-shelf applications, has its method for penetration testing. This paper is a systematic literature review that examines the web application security measures and the penetration testing methods and tools to detect vulnerabilities on web applications. Moreover, it gives a general view of adapting penetration testing as a security approach to the SDLC.

This review chapter provides an in-depth exploration of various aspects of data security, ranging from foundational principles to advanced techniques. It sheds light on the importance of maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and presents a comprehensive overview of technologies and methodologies that can be employed to achieve robust data security. In today's digital age, ensuring the security and protection of data has become paramount. This research chapter explores various topics related to data security, including confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It also delves into the role of blockchain technology, zero-trust architecture, secure coding practices, legal and ethical considerations, homomorphic encryption, secure multi-party computation, hash functions and digital signatures, secure communication protocols, cryptocurrency and blockchain security, as well as cryptanalysis and side-channel attacks.It highlights various techniques and technologies that can be employed to protect data confidentiality, including encryption and access control mechanisms. Blockchain technology has emerged as a groundbreaking solution for enhancing data security. Zero-trust architecture challenges traditional security models by adopting a holistic and dynamic approach to data protection. Secure coding practices and DevSecOps play a vital role in developing secure software applications. The chapter investigates the importance of integrating security measures throughout the software development lifecycle. It emphasizes the adoption of secure coding practices and the implementation of DevSecOps methodologies to build resilient and secure software systems. Legal and ethical considerations are crucial when addressing data security. Homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computation are advanced cryptographic techniques that allow data to be processed securely while encrypted. The chapter examines the principles and applications of these techniques, highlighting their significance in scenarios where privacy is paramount. Hash functions and digital signatures form the backbone of data authentication and integrity. The chapter discusses the properties and applications of hash functions and digital signatures in verifying the integrity and authenticity of data. Secure communication protocols are essential for protecting data during transmission. The chapter explores various secure communication protocols, such as Transport Layer Security (TLS), and examines their role in ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. Cryptocurrency and blockchain security focus on the secure storage and transfer of digital assets. The research chapter investigates the security considerations specific to cryptocurrencies and explores how block chain technology can mitigate vulnerabilities and ensure the trustworthiness of transactions. Cryptanalysis and side-channel attacks are threats to cryptographic systems. The chapter discusses these attack techniques, highlighting their potential risks and the measures that can be taken to counter them.