October 25, 2024 at 07:17AM
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) questions the claim that fixing software vulnerabilities is 100 times more expensive during production. Agile development may lessen this cost, suggesting that shifting security responsibilities to developers, while important, needs a balanced approach. The emphasis should be on integrating security throughout the development process.
### Meeting Takeaways
1. **Cost of Fixing Vulnerabilities**:
– Traditional belief estimates fixing vulnerabilities in production is 100x more expensive than during the design phase.
– The **CISA report** recently challenged this notion, suggesting that the cost dynamics may have changed with modern Agile practices allowing for quicker corrections.
2. **Debate on Security Responsibilities**:
– The concept of “Shift Left” is under scrutiny, with some arguing it places undue responsibility for code security on developers, thereby slowing development velocity.
– Chris Hughes, CEO of Aquia, expressed that developers need better tools and training in security without relying on outdated economic data to motivate security practices.
3. **CISA’s Secure by Design Initiative**:
– Aimed at integrating security from the software development phase to avert vulnerabilities.
– CISA noted challenges for organizations in adopting better security measures, emphasizing a lack of economic incentives despite substantial breaches (e.g., Target, SolarWinds) having minimal financial impact on affected companies.
4. **Historical Context and Metrics**:
– The original 100x cost ratio originated from Barry Boehm in the 1970s but has evolved, with some studies now suggesting a revised cost ratio closer to 5:1 for small, noncritical systems.
– The NIST reported a 15x effort increase for fixing defects post-release versus during the requirements phase.
5. **Advantages of Modern Development Practices**:
– Advances in cloud-native and DevOps processes have minimized update costs and enhanced efficiency in deploying software fixes compared to historical methods of software distribution.
6. **Implementation of DevSecOps Culture**:
– Emphasized as critical for achieving security and quality, where security considerations are integrated throughout development, testing, and operations.
– Gary McGraw highlights that having dedicated software security specialists in each DevSecOps team can enhance resilience and security workflows.
7. **Need for Further Study**:
– Both CISA and industry experts advocate for further research into the economic impacts of software quality and security investments.
– The goal is to determine appropriate levels of investment in security practices throughout development and operational phases.
8. **Final Consensus**:
– Although there are differing opinions on the financial implications of “Shifting Left,” there’s a general agreement that incorporating security earlier is beneficial for quality and resilience, significantly reducing long-term costs related to vulnerabilities.