How do you work with others to secure enterprise software?

1 Define security goals and requirements

The first step to secure enterprise software is to define the security goals and requirements for the project. This involves identifying the threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts that could affect the software, as well as the standards, regulations, and best practices that apply to the industry and domain. You need to work with the stakeholders, such as the clients, users, managers, and regulators, to understand their expectations and needs. You also need to work with the developers, architects, and analysts, to align the security goals and requirements with the functional and non-functional requirements of the software.

2 Choose security tools and methods

The next step is to choose the security tools and methods that will help you achieve the security goals and requirements. There are many types of security tools and methods available, such as encryption, authentication, authorization, firewalls, antivirus, penetration testing, code analysis, and audits. You need to work with the security experts, such as the security engineers, testers, and consultants, to evaluate the options and select the ones that suit your budget, timeline, and scope. You also need to work with the other team members, such as the developers, testers, and operations, to integrate the security tools and methods into the software development life cycle (SDLC).

3 Implement security features and controls

The third step is to implement the security features and controls that will protect the software from the identified threats and vulnerabilities. This involves coding, configuring, and deploying the security tools and methods that you have chosen, as well as following the security standards and best practices that you have defined. You need to work with the developers and architects, to ensure that the security features and controls are consistent, coherent, and compatible with the software design and architecture. You also need to work with the testers and operations, to ensure that the security features and controls are functional, reliable, and scalable.

4 Test security performance and quality

The fourth step is to test the security performance and quality of the software, to verify that it meets the security goals and requirements. This involves conducting various types of security tests, such as unit tests, integration tests, system tests, acceptance tests, and security tests, to check for errors, bugs, vulnerabilities, and breaches. You need to work with the testers and security experts, to design, execute, and report the security tests, using the security tools and methods that you have chosen. You also need to work with the stakeholders and users, to validate that the software satisfies their expectations and needs.

5 Monitor security status and incidents

The fifth step is to monitor the security status and incidents of the software, to detect and respond to any security issues that may arise during the operation and maintenance of the software. This involves collecting, analyzing, and reporting the security data, such as logs, metrics, alerts, and feedback, to assess the security performance and quality of the software. You need to work with the operations and security experts, to set up, manage, and troubleshoot the security monitoring systems, using the security tools and methods that you have chosen. You also need to work with the stakeholders and users, to communicate and resolve any security incidents that may affect them.

6 Update security features and controls

The sixth step is to update the security features and controls of the software, to improve and maintain the security performance and quality of the software. This involves reviewing, modifying, and adding the security features and controls, based on the security data, feedback, and incidents that you have collected and analyzed. You need to work with the developers and architects, to implement the security updates, following the security standards and best practices that you have defined. You also need to work with the testers and operations, to test and deploy the security updates, using the security tools and methods that you have chosen.

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?