How do you secure reusable software components?

2 Apply inheritance and polymorphism

Another principle of object oriented design is inheritance, which means creating new components by extending the functionality of existing ones. Inheritance can help you secure your reusable software components by enabling code reuse and avoiding duplication. By inheriting from a base component, you can inherit its security features and avoid reinventing the wheel. You can also use polymorphism, which means using the same interface for different types of components. Polymorphism can help you secure your reusable software components by allowing you to swap them with different implementations without changing the code that uses them. This can make your code more flexible and adaptable to changing requirements and environments.

3 Implement abstraction and modularity

A third principle of object oriented design is abstraction, which means representing the essential features of a component without including unnecessary details. Abstraction can help you secure your reusable software components by simplifying their design and making them easier to understand and test. By abstracting away the complexity of a component, you can focus on its functionality and security, rather than its implementation. You can also use modularity, which means dividing a component into smaller and independent subcomponents. Modularity can help you secure your reusable software components by isolating their functionality and reducing their dependencies. By modularizing your component, you can make it more manageable, maintainable, and secure.

4 Use design patterns and principles

A fourth way to secure your reusable software components is to use design patterns and principles that have been proven to work in similar situations. Design patterns are reusable solutions to common problems in software design, while design principles are general guidelines that help you achieve good software design. You can benefit from the collective wisdom and experience of other developers who have faced similar challenges and solved them in a secure way by utilizing the open-closed principle, single responsibility principle, dependency inversion principle, and facade pattern. The open-closed principle states that a component should be open for extension but closed for modification, so that you can add new functionality without changing its existing code. The single responsibility principle states that a component should have only one reason to change, so you should separate the concerns of a component and assign them to different subcomponents. The dependency inversion principle states that a component should depend on abstractions rather than concretions, so you should use interfaces or abstract classes to define the dependencies of a component. Finally, the facade pattern provides a unified and simplified interface to a complex system of subcomponents, allowing you to hide their complexity and expose only the necessary functionality.

5 Test and document your components

A final way to secure your reusable software components is to test and document them thoroughly. Testing can help you verify that your components work as expected and meet the security requirements. You can use various types of testing, such as unit testing, integration testing, and penetration testing, to check the functionality, reliability, and security of your components. Documentation can help you communicate the purpose, functionality, and security features of your components to other developers who want to use them. You can use various forms of documentation, such as comments, diagrams, and manuals, to describe the interfaces, dependencies, and usage of your components.

By applying these object oriented design techniques, you can secure your reusable software components and make them more valuable and trustworthy for your software development projects.

6 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?