January 18, 2024 at 06:38AM
The concept of “secure by design” is crucial in the face of increasing supply chain attacks, with a shift towards proactive security measures. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is pushing for this in software development practices, emphasizing collective responsibility. It involves building security into software from the ground up and addressing challenges in hybrid IT infrastructures.
From the meeting notes, it is evident that the concept of “secure by design” is increasingly crucial in software development to address the growing threat of cyberattacks targeting supply chains. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has proposed an initiative to revolutionize development practices by embracing “secure by design” principles, reflecting a pivotal shift toward proactive security measures.
Key elements of “secure by design” include:
1. Building security into the software from the ground up.
2. Ensuring modern, complex hybrid infrastructures incorporate secure architecture and risk management principles.
3. Addressing the lifecycle of software manufacturing, including securing all stakeholders to reduce risk.
4. Implementing defense in depth, keeping dependencies and third-party software up to date, and using modern techniques such as fuzzing to find unknown vulnerabilities.
5. Identifying attack surfaces and prioritizing assets and risk management accordingly to stay ahead of exploitation and attack risks related to vulnerabilities.
The paradigm shift required in IT security involves prioritizing visibility into the supply chain to mitigate risks related to vulnerabilities in third-party software dependencies. Additionally, in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), designing security into long-lived devices and embracing software bills of materials (SBOMs) are key challenges and measures to ensure secure by design practices.
Ultimately, embracing “secure by design” practices is emphasized as a competitive factor in the marketplace, and it is expected to provide better visibility into the software supply chain, allowing for improved problem prioritization from a foundational level.