How can you balance security testing and other software development priorities?

Security testing is an essential part of software development, especially for applications that handle sensitive data, transactions, or user identities. However, security testing can also be time-consuming, complex, and costly, which may conflict with other development priorities, such as functionality, usability, and performance. How can you balance security testing and other software development priorities without compromising quality, security, or customer satisfaction? Here are some tips to help you achieve this balance.

1 Adopt a security mindset

The first step to balance security testing and other development priorities is to adopt a security mindset throughout the software development lifecycle. This means that you should consider security as a non-negotiable requirement, not an afterthought or a nice-to-have feature. You should also identify and assess the potential risks, threats, and vulnerabilities that your application may face, and design and implement security measures accordingly. By adopting a security mindset, you can avoid costly and damaging security breaches, and also reduce the need for extensive and expensive security testing later on.

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Roger Maciel de Oliveira

CEO Russell Bedford Brasil
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Adote uma mentalidade de segurança: É crucial que todos os membros da equipe estejam comprometidos com a segurança desde o início do processo de desenvolvimento. Isso envolve conscientização sobre as melhores práticas de segurança, compreensão dos riscos e uma mentalidade proativa em relação à identificação e mitigação de vulnerabilidades. Minha experiência pessoal mostra que promover uma cultura de segurança desde o início do projeto pode ajudar a evitar problemas graves no futuro.

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2 Integrate security testing into your workflow

The second step to balance security testing and other development priorities is to integrate security testing into your workflow, rather than treating it as a separate or isolated activity. This means that you should perform security testing at every stage of the development process, from planning to deployment, and use tools and methods that are compatible with your existing tools and methods. For example, you can use code analysis tools, such as Static Application Security Testing (SAST) or Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) , to check your code for security flaws and vulnerabilities, and automate security testing as much as possible using scripts, frameworks, or platforms, such as OWASP ZAP or Selenium . By integrating security testing into your workflow, you can save time and resources, and also ensure that your application meets the security standards and expectations of your customers and stakeholders.

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Roger Maciel de Oliveira

CEO Russell Bedford Brasil
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Integre testes de segurança ao seu fluxo de trabalho: Incorporar testes de segurança em cada etapa do ciclo de desenvolvimento é essencial para garantir que as preocupações com segurança sejam abordadas continuamente. Ferramentas de análise estática e dinâmica, assim como testes de penetração, podem ser automatizados e integrados ao fluxo de trabalho de desenvolvimento. Eu já vi em projetos anteriores como essa abordagem pode evitar a introdução de vulnerabilidades em fases posteriores do desenvolvimento.

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3 Prioritize security testing based on risk and impact

The third step to balance security testing and other development priorities is to prioritize security testing based on risk and impact, rather than on quantity or frequency. This means that you should focus on the most critical and high-risk areas of your application, such as authentication, authorization, encryption, input validation, output encoding, error handling, logging, and auditing, and test them thoroughly and frequently. You should also prioritize security testing based on the impact that a security breach would have on your application, your customers, your business, and your reputation, and test accordingly. By prioritizing security testing based on risk and impact, you can optimize your security testing efforts, and also ensure that you address the most important and urgent security issues.

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Roger Maciel de Oliveira

CEO Russell Bedford Brasil
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Priorize os testes de segurança com base no risco e no impacto: Nem todas as partes do software têm o mesmo nível de criticidade em termos de segurança. É importante priorizar os testes de segurança de acordo com o risco e o impacto potencial de uma falha de segurança. Focar nos pontos mais críticos ajuda a otimizar os recursos disponíveis e garantir uma cobertura mais eficaz. Eu aprendi com experiências passadas que essa abordagem pode maximizar o impacto dos esforços de teste de segurança.

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Okunola Noah

Lead Technology Solution Architect at TBO Consulting Group | Expert in Enterprise Solutions, AWS, Oracle, CRM, and Customer Experience (CX)
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*High-risk areas: Prioritize testing for components that handle sensitive data or user authentication. *New functionalities: Pay extra attention to newly developed features as they haven't been tested extensively.

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4 Communicate and collaborate with your team and stakeholders

The fourth step to balance security testing and other development priorities is to communicate and collaborate with your team and stakeholders, rather than working in silos or in isolation. This means that you should share your security goals, plans, results, and feedback with your team members, managers, clients, users, and other stakeholders, and involve them in the security testing process. You should also seek their input, suggestions, and feedback on your security testing strategies, techniques, and tools, and learn from their experiences and best practices. By communicating and collaborating with your team and stakeholders, you can foster a culture of security awareness, trust, and accountability, and also ensure that your security testing aligns with the needs and expectations of your customers and stakeholders.

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Roger Maciel de Oliveira

CEO Russell Bedford Brasil
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Comunique-se e colabore com sua equipe e partes interessadas: A comunicação eficaz é fundamental para equilibrar os testes de segurança com outras prioridades de desenvolvimento. Envolver todas as partes interessadas desde o início, compartilhar informações sobre as preocupações com segurança e colaborar na definição de objetivos e estratégias ajuda a garantir o alinhamento e o apoio de todos os envolvidos. Em minha experiência, projetos que promoveram uma comunicação aberta e colaborativa conseguiram equilibrar com sucesso as demandas de segurança com outras prioridades.

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5 Review and improve your security testing practices

The fifth step to balance security testing and other development priorities is to review and improve your security testing practices, rather than sticking to the same or outdated methods or tools. This means that you should evaluate your security testing results, metrics, and feedback, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your security testing process. You should also keep up with the latest trends, developments, and innovations in security testing, and adopt new or improved methods or tools that can enhance your security testing quality, efficiency, or effectiveness. By reviewing and improving your security testing practices, you can ensure that your security testing is relevant, reliable, and robust, and also adapt to the changing needs and demands of your customers and stakeholders.

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Roger Maciel de Oliveira

CEO Russell Bedford Brasil
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Revise e melhore suas práticas de teste de segurança: A melhoria contínua é essencial para manter a eficácia dos testes de segurança ao longo do tempo. Isso envolve revisar regularmente as práticas de teste de segurança, identificar áreas de melhoria e implementar mudanças conforme necessário. Incorporar feedback da equipe e aprender com incidentes passados são maneiras de garantir que as práticas de teste de segurança evoluam e se adaptem às mudanças nas ameaças e no ambiente de desenvolvimento. Na minha experiência, essa abordagem garantiu que nossos testes de segurança permanecessem relevantes e eficazes ao longo do ciclo de vida do projeto.

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Okunola Noah

Lead Technology Solution Architect at TBO Consulting Group | Expert in Enterprise Solutions, AWS, Oracle, CRM, and Customer Experience (CX)
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*Security code reviews: Developers can identify and fix vulnerabilities early on during coding. *Static application security testing (SAST): Automated tools scan code for known security flaws. *Dynamic application security testing (DAST): Tools simulate attacks to identify vulnerabilities in the running application.

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6 Balance security testing and other development priorities

Security testing is not a one-time or a one-size-fits-all activity. It is a continuous and dynamic process that requires constant attention, adjustment, and improvement. Balancing security testing and other development priorities is not easy, but it is possible and necessary. By following these tips, you can balance security testing and other development priorities, and deliver software that is secure, functional, usable, and performant.

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Roger Maciel de Oliveira

CEO Russell Bedford Brasil
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Equilibre testes de segurança e outras prioridades de desenvolvimento: Por fim, é importante reconhecer que os testes de segurança são apenas uma parte do processo de desenvolvimento de software e precisam ser equilibrados com outras prioridades, como prazos de entrega e requisitos de funcionalidade. Encontrar esse equilíbrio requer uma compreensão clara das necessidades do projeto, a capacidade de tomar decisões informadas sobre alocação de recursos e uma abordagem flexível para ajustar as estratégias de teste conforme necessário. Em minha experiência, projetos bem-sucedidos foram capazes de encontrar esse equilíbrio, priorizando a segurança sem comprometer outras metas de desenvolvimento.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Okunola Noah

Lead Technology Solution Architect at TBO Consulting Group | Expert in Enterprise Solutions, AWS, Oracle, CRM, and Customer Experience (CX)
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Security doesn't have to slow down development. By implementing these practices, you can integrate security testing seamlessly into your workflow and build applications that are both secure and functional.

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How can you balance security testing and other software development priorities?

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2

3

4

5

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1 Adopt a security mindset

2 Integrate security testing into your workflow

3 Prioritize security testing based on risk and impact

4 Communicate and collaborate with your team and stakeholders

5 Review and improve your security testing practices

6 Balance security testing and other development priorities

7 Here’s what else to consider

Computer Engineering

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How can you balance security testing and other software development priorities?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Adopt a security mindset

2 Integrate security testing into your workflow

3 Prioritize security testing based on risk and impact

4 Communicate and collaborate with your team and stakeholders

5 Review and improve your security testing practices

6 Balance security testing and other development priorities

7 Here’s what else to consider

Computer Engineering

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