What are the best ways to communicate security requirements to developers?

Para que um requisito seja compreendido e implementado adequadamente é importante associar a risco, fornecer orienta??o prescritiva e suporte para implementa??o.

Effectively communicating security requirements to developers starts with the establishment of clear and realistic security goals. These goals should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the overall security objectives of the organization. By articulating precise expectations, developers gain a comprehensive understanding of the security standards they need to meet, facilitating a more targeted and effective integration of security measures into the development process.

A melhor forma e manter um programa de conscientiza??o de seguran?a da informa??o em todos os níveis e papeis da organiza??o, porém isso leva tempo e recursos, planejamento, defini??o dos objetivos, métricas etc. Para cumpri essa tarefa de forma efetiva sem estar dentro do programa, é necessário definir claramente os requisitos de seguran?a apontando e metrificando os riscos e impactos envolvidos, bem como demonstrar claramente as equipes de dev, QA, Delivery como ser?o metrificados e os fatores que reprovar?o o sprint.

Become clear on your desired outcome, not only on the goals. For example, for security the outcome is a safe and secure user experience of the software that reduces the risk of malware being installed which can lead to data breaches and ransomware attacks. Developers are perhaps more concerned with the user experience than with the security, but if you maintain the user experience as common ground - understand their main desired outcome - than you can use these outcomes as your basis for a fruitful collaboration in designing safe and secure software, with an epic user experience.

Effectively communicate security requirements to developers through clear, concise documentation outlining guidelines and best practices. Conduct regular training sessions or workshops focused on security protocols and their practical implementation. Integrate security checkpoints within development processes and provide relevant use cases as examples. Establish open channels for feedback and collaboration between security and development teams, ensuring understanding and adherence to security requirements throughout the development lifecycle.

Communication is enhanced when using common and consistent language that resonates with both security professionals and developers. Avoid overly technical jargon and ensure that security requirements are articulated in a manner understandable to developers without compromising the essence of the security measures. This facilitates a smoother collaboration between security teams and developers, promoting a shared understanding of the importance of security in the development lifecycle.

Even better, once you understand the developper's desired outcomes with the software they are developing, train yourself to communicate security through storytelling. You can still use technical terms and security terms, but you are making them relatable in people's map of the world. For example, developers do a lot of testing and validation to make sure any software bugs are fixed or reduced. They may fear that security protocols may increase the bugs and make their lives more difficult. Instead, you can you paint the picture of a software being taken off market due to negative brand reputation as the malware that was installed due to lack of security protocols, caused data breach x with impact y. Zoom out and focus on the impact.

Establishing a common language is crucial not only between security and developers but across the entire software project and squad. Through experience, it's evident that maintaining consistent communication and having specialists dedicated to their tasks, with regular validation of each component and alignment with project goals, results in significant time, cost, and resource savings.

Actionable feedback is essential for effective security remediation. Many security professionals struggle with this step because they do not fully understand the output of their tools, findings, or reports. This makes it hard for developers to comprehend the issues and fix them. As a security professional, you need to make sure you can explain both the finding and the risk it poses, as well as the recommended solution. If you cannot do both, you are unlikely to persuade developers to address the issue. This often requires spending some time doing the research, but that's how you become a valuable partner.

Communication is very Important and should be understandable Set a clear standard of communication & ensure include all relevant stakeholders - remove nonrelevant stakeholders too Language to be considered supporting tools accessibility ensured regular interconnects to ensure the effectiveness of communications to be conducted All needs to centralised/monitored/improved time to time

Developers should not perceive security as an obstacle to their goals. Every misconfiguration (or should I say MISS-configuration ;-) can be resolved without compromising the existing work, although this may not always be the case. This has been one of the main causes of misalignment between the two parties. It would be even better if you could provide relevant examples from past use cases. If not, try to reproduce the issue in a test environment and observe the results.

Online feedback is undoubtedly a two-way process crucial for keeping a software product on track with managed cyber risks. While it's essential to have security components managing risks accurately, establishing a two-way feedback mechanism is equally important. This ensures that time isn't wasted on concepts that aren't applicable to the specific product.

Integrate security tools into the development pipeline to automate security checks and identify vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle. Provide developers with resources such as coding guidelines, secure coding libraries, and frameworks that support the implementation of security best practices.

Enforce baseline controls (policies) as guardrails to simplify the developer experience and improve cyber resiliency in parallel. Though the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is not a one-size-fits-all approach to managing cybersecurity risk for organizations, it is ultimately aimed at reducing and better managing risks. Further, it can be used as an effective communication tool to support agility.

In my opinion, frameworks and guidelines are excellent references but should never be treated as the sole truth about what a software product needs for effective cyber risk management. Tools, in the hands of a cyber analyst, serve as aids to study the best approach in risk management before any release. They should not be used as a checklist for the development team without a thorough risk analysis. I strongly believe that tools or frameworks should be supportive, guiding a comprehensive risk analysis to distinguish between mandatory tasks and those that may not add significant security value to the product.

Early collaboration with developers regarding planning, security decisions and activities can ensure alignment and integrating security tools into the developers' daily workflows.

Security is everyone's responsibility, and the most effective security programs are built on collaboration. I therefore believe that involving developers in security decisions and activities is not just a necessity but a strategic advantage followed by leading companies. This approach aligns with the principles of servant leadership. Break down the silos and encourage to find creative solutions that balance security with functionality. Acknowledge and celebrate developers' contributions to security as an integral part of the development process. This practical approach empowers more security-conscious behaviour & contributes to building a more resilient and innovative ecosystem.

Consider a soccer team, where each player has a specific role and a crystal-clear purpose—right-back, left-back, midfielder, goalkeeper. Now, imagine discussing changes in tactics or adversaries while excluding the midfield players from the conversation. Does that make sense? No. Similarly, decisions made by developers, product managers or any project-related decisions without involving security are a comparable problem. It's not just a communication issue; it reflects a lack of engagement and a shared team purpose.

As security requirements evolve, recognising and rewarding achievements helps developers adapt to new practices. It encourages them to stay informed about the latest security trends and incorporate them into the development process.

It's crucial to acknowledge not only our security achievements but also other successes, such as the software product's overall success, integration achievements, and the balance between risk management and customer experience. Consider this: achieving all security requirements but facing client complaints or low ratings on mobile stores. In such cases, as a team, celebration may not be appropriate. On the contrary, when a team accomplishes its goals comprehensively—embracing security, customer experience, achieving good ratings—it's essential to celebrate. This celebration serves as an example for other teams.

As a cybersecurity author and professor at the University of North America (uona.edu), here are my recommendations to effectively communicate security requirements to developers: Define clear, realistic goals aligned with business and user needs. Use common, consistent language to avoid misunderstandings. Provide specific, actionable feedback on security gaps. Utilize tools and resources for defining and verifying requirements. Involve developers in security decisions and activities, fostering collaboration. Recognize and reward contributions to security, encouraging best practices. Share unique insights and experiences for deeper understanding. This approach ensures clear communication and a cooperative security culture.

Some steps to talk security requirements to developers: Provide clear and understandable documentation Use secure coding guidelines Conduct security training for developers Integrate security into development workflows Collaborate and foster communication Implement automated security testing Prioritize security requirements Use examples and use cases Offer remediation guidance Encourage peer code reviews Seek continuous feedback Celebrate security successes

Effective communication between security teams and developers is imperative. Beyond the technical intricacies of security requirements lies the human element that often determines the success of a security strategy. Here are some considerations to foster a positive, collaborative relationship: -Educate, Don't Dictate: Instead of dictating security requirements, educate developers on risks and the rationale behind security measures. -Transparent Collaboration: Maintain open communication throughout the development lifecycle and address any concerns. -Recognize Artistry: Developers sometimes view their code as a form of artistic expression and craftsmanship. Emphasize that security measures serve to enhance rather than critique their work.

Provide detailed and clear documentation outlining security requirements. Clearly define coding standards, encryption protocols, and authentication mechanisms. Make the documentation easily accessible for developers. Integrate security requirements into the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Ensure that security considerations are part of every phase, from design to deployment, making it a natural and integral part of development processes. Implement automated security testing tools into the development pipeline. Tools for static analysis, dynamic analysis, and code reviews can identify vulnerabilities early in the development process, promoting proactive security measures.

From my 20 year experience in the security world, most of the friction between different functional department arises is precisely because we see each others as functions first, before relating to each other as people. This may sound ridiculous, but if you are think about how you interact in your day to day business life with your colleagues from other departments - you are likely to focus on functions. How their function can help you achieve your outcomes based on your functions. The best collaboration efforts are when we start seeing each other as human beings before our expertise, titles and status. That's what builds connection and trust, and that's what will reduce friction and establish smoother collaboration.