To assess if an application development project team is following secure coding practices, I will start by reviewing the organization’s IT policies and standards to confirm they include secure coding guidelines. Evaluate the application’s structure, particularly its architecture and data flow, to understand its design and how it provide system security, such as robust authentication methods and secure data handling processes. Assess network security by investigating how the application manages data transmission, communication and whether it uses encrypted channels to protect sensitive information in transit. Review file system permissions to ensure that critical application files have appropriate access controls.
Reviewing the application’s authentication and authorization processes is also critical for confirming the security of user access, check if each role have access to things they are permitted to access. Assess the logging system to ensure that the application tracks incidents and events. Conduct a audit of code to identify potential vulnerabilities such as injection attacks, buffer overflows, or error handling issues.
Confirm if the team adhere to security frameworks and best practices, such as OWASP, NIST or SANS, verify that the team participates in ongoing security training to stay current on secure coding practices and emerging threats. Engage directly with developers, project managers, and other team members to understand their approach to developments and check if they incorporate sufficient security measures.
I agree with the your approach to assessing secure coding practices, particularly the emphasis on aligning with organizational policies, analyzing application architecture, and evaluating critical security measures like encryption and access controls. These steps are essential for ensuring the application’s security posture. However, while reviewing file system permissions and conducting code audits are crucial, integrating security earlier in the development lifecycle is important, such as adopting a DevSecOps model to embed security into each development phase. This proactive approach can help identify and address vulnerabilities before they become systemic issues. Great post
To determine if the application development project team was using secure coding practices; I will employ code reviews and peer-reviews to make sure that application program has been coded according to best established practices as stated in SANS. In the case where peer-review is part of the application design and development process, reviewing code for security flaws should also be added in that process. If it is humanly impossible to scan the code for errors, source code scanners and testing tools can be used, popular code scanners include RATS (Rough Auditing Tool for Security), Flawfinder, Pscan, Splint (SecureProgramming Lint), ESC/JAVA (Extended Static Checking for Java). There are other tools which are good in testing vulnerabilities in the application, they include AtStake WebProxy, SPIKE Proxy, WebserverFP, KSES, Mieliekoek.pl, Sleuth, Webgoat and AppScan, these tools will be helpful in identifying the flaws in code although they are not 100% accurate.
I agree with your emphasis on code reviews, peer reviews, and the use of automated tools to identify security flaws. These practices are foundational in secure software development. However, relying solely on tools like RATS, Flawfinder, or proxies without integrating a broader secure development lifecycle (SDLC) may leave gaps. Tools are invaluable but should complement and not replace manual reviews, threat modeling, and adherence to secure coding standards like OWASP or NIST. Incorporating security earlier in development through practices like threat modeling and DevSecOps can further reduce vulnerabilities and build security into the design. Great post.
Hi Nelson – Great Response! You provide so many resources and tools in identifying the flaws in code. One that I have learned about recently through my Web Service Programming class is the WAVE accessibility tool. Not only does it make the website more inclusive and accessible, it identifies errors within the code.
To check if a development team is using secure coding practices, you could review their development process and look for certain indicators. For example, teams that use code reviews, automated testing tools for security, and follow guidelines like OWASP’s secure coding practices are likely implementing good security measures. You could also look at their documentation to see if they have procedures for handling vulnerabilities, input validation, and secure data storage. Additionally, asking the team if they conduct regular security training or participate in security audits would help confirm their commitment to secure coding.
Hey Christopher,
I wrote a similiar response. I think the best way to verify that a process is being followedis to see what the process looks like in the SOP and the controls guidelines that are documented. Comparing the findings with what the team says their process is. Additionally, requesting evidence that the controls in place are actually being followed.
To determine if a development team is using secure coding practices, you can evaluate their processes and outputs against established principles. This includes checking whether they conduct regular code reviews, use tools like static analysis scanners to identify vulnerabilities, and follow documented secure coding guidelines such as OWASP standards. Assess how they handle input validation, output sanitization, and implement access controls to enforce the principle of least privilege. Additionally, review their error-handling practices and their use of trusted libraries and APIs to ensure they are minimizing risks like injection attacks, buffer overflows, and data breaches
I really like how you broke down the ways to check if a team is using secure coding practices. Like you mentioned, reviewing code reviews, using static analysis tools, and checking adherence to OWASP standards are all great ways to ensure security. It’s interesting how both of our ideas focus on checking that security measures are actually being followed, whether through interviews with the team, reviewing documentation, or code reviews. I think combining both our approaches would be a great way to make sure everything is covered. Really good points!
Hey Andrea, I had a similar response to yours, I like how you mentioned to check if a development team follows documented secure coding guidelines such as OWASP standards. I didn’t think to see if developers use proper scanning tools to check for vulnerabilities, you make a great point.
To check if a development team is following secure coding practices, look at how they review their code. Do they conduct peer reviews or use tools to find vulnerabilities? Check if they follow standards like OWASP Top 10 and regularly test their code for security issues, such as with penetration tests or vulnerability scans. You’d also want to see if security is baked into their workflow through DevSecOps, where vulnerabilities are addressed early in the development process. Finally, confirm that the team uses secure tools, avoids outdated libraries, and keeps developers trained on the latest threats and secure coding techniques. These steps ensure the team is building applications with security at the forefront.
I appreciate the emphasis on integrating security into workflows through DevSecOps and ensuring developer training is updated. Another important consideration is how well the team incorporates threat modeling during the design phase. By identifying potential vulnerabilities early on, before coding even begins, the team can proactively mitigate risks rather than reacting to them later.
The bare minimum that a development team was using secure coding practices would be to audit their coding procedures and QA testing to ensure that they are meeting the minimum standard. Beyond that having a pre-set testing script that runs widely used exploits against the code builds that verify they are meeting the minimum standard would be a prudent way to ensure that the development team is meeting the industry expectations.
As an IT Change Manager, I echo your sentiment about drafting test scripts and QA doing an in-depth analysis of the code. Too often, we see changes (IT works) fail due to insufficient testing or bugs that were not caught in non-prod.
To determine if an application’s development project team is using secure coding practices, I would conduct a thorough review of their development processes and source code. This would include assessing whether the team follows industry-standard secure coding guidelines, such as OWASP Top Ten. I would review the team’s code for common vulnerabilities, like SQL injection, and evaluate whether they are using security testing tools during the development lifecycle. Additionally, I would verify if the team conducted regular security testing, such as penetration testing and dynamic analysis, and if developers receive ongoing security training to stay current with emerging threats.
Hi Cyrena – I like how you mentioned continuous training to stay current with emerging trends. This is so important in the professional world! This helps developers stay current with practices and be able to be on the lookout for emerging risks.
To determine if an application development project team is using secure coding practices, I would thoroughly review their documentation of the development process as well as the source code. Specifically, I would check for secure coding guidelines or policies that team follows. This would include reviewing if they were in line with OWASP. Furthermore, I would assess the lifecycle of the development for steps like input validation, encryption, and secure authentication mechanisms.
I wrote something similar in my response, and I completely agree that reviewing documentation and source code is essential for checking secure coding practices. I also like how you mentioned OWASP; it’s such a great framework for ensuring teams are on the right track. Assessing steps like input validation, encryption, and secure authentication in the development lifecycle is a solid way to ensure security is built into the process from the start.
To determine if an application development project team is using secure coding practices, you should follow these steps. Review policies and standards, such as those from OWASP, NIST, or SANS. Ensure that the team conducts regular code reviews and peer reviews to identify and fix security vulnerabilities. Verify the use of automated security testing tools to detect code vulnerabilities. Confirm that the team participates in ongoing security training and CPE. Lastly, assess whether security is integrated into the development lifecycle.
Really good points, Brittany I like how you reinforced how important it is to keep teaching developers and how security should be part of the whole development process. Security isn’t just about tools; it’s also about making everyone on the team more aware and careful. If smaller teams or companies don’t have a lot of resources, do you think it would be hard for them to follow these practices?
Check the dev team lifecycle for using secure coding practices, review their development lifecycle, such as code reviews, static and dynamic analysis, and OWASP compliance. Check for threat modeling, automated security testing, and developer security training. Check whether they quickly fix vulnerabilities and record security measures.
I think that you were right to mention the response time as well. Having a development team that can quickly respond to a problem with their code and patch it, while not as important as rapid response from a SOC, is something that would be important for the long term health of a company.
To assess if an application development project team is following secure coding practices, I would start with an assessment of the IT policies and standards.. I would look to see if secure coding guidelines are explicitly documented. Next, I would see if the business is using peer reviews or online tools to verify that secure code guidelines are being followed. I think the best way to see if a guideline is being followed is to ask employees their process and also verifying the secondary controls to see if the process that is listed in the policy documents are actually being followed.
Your approach to assessing secure coding practices is well rounded, combining a review of documented policies with direct employee engagement and verification of controls. This ensures that secure coding guidelines are not only established but also effectively implemented and followed in practice.
To determine if a development team follows secure coding practices, start by examining their use of industry standards like OWASP or SANS guidelines. Look for regular code reviews and integration of tools like static code analyzers (e.g., SonarQube) to identify vulnerabilities early. Assess documentation and adherence to security policies, such as enforcing secure dependencies through tools like Dependabot. Verify that the team conducts dynamic application security testing (DAST) and penetration testing. Also, check if developers receive regular training on secure coding.
One point that you made that I forgot to mention is the continuing education. With how quickly our industry evolves it’s really important to make sure for any security or development team that they have continuing education going forward.
I would conduct interviews with team members to determine if they are familiar with secure coding processes and if they are actually following them. It’s important to ensure that team members are properly trained and adhering to these practices. I would also review the project documentation to confirm that it includes guidelines for secure coding, such as input validation, encryption, and error handling. Finally, I would check if the team performs regular code reviews, where both developers and security experts look for any vulnerabilities and confirm that secure coding standards are being followed.
I agree with you on conducting interview with team members to determine if they are familiar with secure coding processes and if they are actually following them. however code review and peer reviews are not enough sometimes; If it is humanly impossible to scan the code for errors, source code scanners and testing tools can be used.
To determine if an application dev team has used secure coding practices, I would introduce the application to a code review and a set of scanners such as RATS and flawFinder that would analyze the code for flaws.
I would also use the SANS reading Assessing Vendor Application Security A Practical Way to Begin as a guideline in conducting interviews to review the practices used by the developers against industry standard regulations, frameworks, and controls.
To assess if an application development project team is following secure coding practices, I will start by reviewing the organization’s IT policies and standards to confirm they include secure coding guidelines. Evaluate the application’s structure, particularly its architecture and data flow, to understand its design and how it provide system security, such as robust authentication methods and secure data handling processes. Assess network security by investigating how the application manages data transmission, communication and whether it uses encrypted channels to protect sensitive information in transit. Review file system permissions to ensure that critical application files have appropriate access controls.
Reviewing the application’s authentication and authorization processes is also critical for confirming the security of user access, check if each role have access to things they are permitted to access. Assess the logging system to ensure that the application tracks incidents and events. Conduct a audit of code to identify potential vulnerabilities such as injection attacks, buffer overflows, or error handling issues.
Confirm if the team adhere to security frameworks and best practices, such as OWASP, NIST or SANS, verify that the team participates in ongoing security training to stay current on secure coding practices and emerging threats. Engage directly with developers, project managers, and other team members to understand their approach to developments and check if they incorporate sufficient security measures.
Hi Justin,
I agree with the your approach to assessing secure coding practices, particularly the emphasis on aligning with organizational policies, analyzing application architecture, and evaluating critical security measures like encryption and access controls. These steps are essential for ensuring the application’s security posture. However, while reviewing file system permissions and conducting code audits are crucial, integrating security earlier in the development lifecycle is important, such as adopting a DevSecOps model to embed security into each development phase. This proactive approach can help identify and address vulnerabilities before they become systemic issues. Great post
To determine if the application development project team was using secure coding practices; I will employ code reviews and peer-reviews to make sure that application program has been coded according to best established practices as stated in SANS. In the case where peer-review is part of the application design and development process, reviewing code for security flaws should also be added in that process. If it is humanly impossible to scan the code for errors, source code scanners and testing tools can be used, popular code scanners include RATS (Rough Auditing Tool for Security), Flawfinder, Pscan, Splint (SecureProgramming Lint), ESC/JAVA (Extended Static Checking for Java). There are other tools which are good in testing vulnerabilities in the application, they include AtStake WebProxy, SPIKE Proxy, WebserverFP, KSES, Mieliekoek.pl, Sleuth, Webgoat and AppScan, these tools will be helpful in identifying the flaws in code although they are not 100% accurate.
Hi Nelson,
I agree with your emphasis on code reviews, peer reviews, and the use of automated tools to identify security flaws. These practices are foundational in secure software development. However, relying solely on tools like RATS, Flawfinder, or proxies without integrating a broader secure development lifecycle (SDLC) may leave gaps. Tools are invaluable but should complement and not replace manual reviews, threat modeling, and adherence to secure coding standards like OWASP or NIST. Incorporating security earlier in development through practices like threat modeling and DevSecOps can further reduce vulnerabilities and build security into the design. Great post.
Hi Nelson – Great Response! You provide so many resources and tools in identifying the flaws in code. One that I have learned about recently through my Web Service Programming class is the WAVE accessibility tool. Not only does it make the website more inclusive and accessible, it identifies errors within the code.
To check if a development team is using secure coding practices, you could review their development process and look for certain indicators. For example, teams that use code reviews, automated testing tools for security, and follow guidelines like OWASP’s secure coding practices are likely implementing good security measures. You could also look at their documentation to see if they have procedures for handling vulnerabilities, input validation, and secure data storage. Additionally, asking the team if they conduct regular security training or participate in security audits would help confirm their commitment to secure coding.
Hey Christopher,
I wrote a similiar response. I think the best way to verify that a process is being followedis to see what the process looks like in the SOP and the controls guidelines that are documented. Comparing the findings with what the team says their process is. Additionally, requesting evidence that the controls in place are actually being followed.
To determine if a development team is using secure coding practices, you can evaluate their processes and outputs against established principles. This includes checking whether they conduct regular code reviews, use tools like static analysis scanners to identify vulnerabilities, and follow documented secure coding guidelines such as OWASP standards. Assess how they handle input validation, output sanitization, and implement access controls to enforce the principle of least privilege. Additionally, review their error-handling practices and their use of trusted libraries and APIs to ensure they are minimizing risks like injection attacks, buffer overflows, and data breaches
Andrea,
I really like how you broke down the ways to check if a team is using secure coding practices. Like you mentioned, reviewing code reviews, using static analysis tools, and checking adherence to OWASP standards are all great ways to ensure security. It’s interesting how both of our ideas focus on checking that security measures are actually being followed, whether through interviews with the team, reviewing documentation, or code reviews. I think combining both our approaches would be a great way to make sure everything is covered. Really good points!
Hey Andrea, I had a similar response to yours, I like how you mentioned to check if a development team follows documented secure coding guidelines such as OWASP standards. I didn’t think to see if developers use proper scanning tools to check for vulnerabilities, you make a great point.
To check if a development team is following secure coding practices, look at how they review their code. Do they conduct peer reviews or use tools to find vulnerabilities? Check if they follow standards like OWASP Top 10 and regularly test their code for security issues, such as with penetration tests or vulnerability scans. You’d also want to see if security is baked into their workflow through DevSecOps, where vulnerabilities are addressed early in the development process. Finally, confirm that the team uses secure tools, avoids outdated libraries, and keeps developers trained on the latest threats and secure coding techniques. These steps ensure the team is building applications with security at the forefront.
I appreciate the emphasis on integrating security into workflows through DevSecOps and ensuring developer training is updated. Another important consideration is how well the team incorporates threat modeling during the design phase. By identifying potential vulnerabilities early on, before coding even begins, the team can proactively mitigate risks rather than reacting to them later.
The bare minimum that a development team was using secure coding practices would be to audit their coding procedures and QA testing to ensure that they are meeting the minimum standard. Beyond that having a pre-set testing script that runs widely used exploits against the code builds that verify they are meeting the minimum standard would be a prudent way to ensure that the development team is meeting the industry expectations.
As an IT Change Manager, I echo your sentiment about drafting test scripts and QA doing an in-depth analysis of the code. Too often, we see changes (IT works) fail due to insufficient testing or bugs that were not caught in non-prod.
To determine if an application’s development project team is using secure coding practices, I would conduct a thorough review of their development processes and source code. This would include assessing whether the team follows industry-standard secure coding guidelines, such as OWASP Top Ten. I would review the team’s code for common vulnerabilities, like SQL injection, and evaluate whether they are using security testing tools during the development lifecycle. Additionally, I would verify if the team conducted regular security testing, such as penetration testing and dynamic analysis, and if developers receive ongoing security training to stay current with emerging threats.
Hi Cyrena – I like how you mentioned continuous training to stay current with emerging trends. This is so important in the professional world! This helps developers stay current with practices and be able to be on the lookout for emerging risks.
To determine if an application development project team is using secure coding practices, I would thoroughly review their documentation of the development process as well as the source code. Specifically, I would check for secure coding guidelines or policies that team follows. This would include reviewing if they were in line with OWASP. Furthermore, I would assess the lifecycle of the development for steps like input validation, encryption, and secure authentication mechanisms.
I wrote something similar in my response, and I completely agree that reviewing documentation and source code is essential for checking secure coding practices. I also like how you mentioned OWASP; it’s such a great framework for ensuring teams are on the right track. Assessing steps like input validation, encryption, and secure authentication in the development lifecycle is a solid way to ensure security is built into the process from the start.
To determine if an application development project team is using secure coding practices, you should follow these steps. Review policies and standards, such as those from OWASP, NIST, or SANS. Ensure that the team conducts regular code reviews and peer reviews to identify and fix security vulnerabilities. Verify the use of automated security testing tools to detect code vulnerabilities. Confirm that the team participates in ongoing security training and CPE. Lastly, assess whether security is integrated into the development lifecycle.
Really good points, Brittany I like how you reinforced how important it is to keep teaching developers and how security should be part of the whole development process. Security isn’t just about tools; it’s also about making everyone on the team more aware and careful. If smaller teams or companies don’t have a lot of resources, do you think it would be hard for them to follow these practices?
Check the dev team lifecycle for using secure coding practices, review their development lifecycle, such as code reviews, static and dynamic analysis, and OWASP compliance. Check for threat modeling, automated security testing, and developer security training. Check whether they quickly fix vulnerabilities and record security measures.
I think that you were right to mention the response time as well. Having a development team that can quickly respond to a problem with their code and patch it, while not as important as rapid response from a SOC, is something that would be important for the long term health of a company.
Thanks, Benjamin! I agree entirely quick response times are essential for maintaining long term security and building trust within an organization.
To assess if an application development project team is following secure coding practices, I would start with an assessment of the IT policies and standards.. I would look to see if secure coding guidelines are explicitly documented. Next, I would see if the business is using peer reviews or online tools to verify that secure code guidelines are being followed. I think the best way to see if a guideline is being followed is to ask employees their process and also verifying the secondary controls to see if the process that is listed in the policy documents are actually being followed.
Your approach to assessing secure coding practices is well rounded, combining a review of documented policies with direct employee engagement and verification of controls. This ensures that secure coding guidelines are not only established but also effectively implemented and followed in practice.
To determine if a development team follows secure coding practices, start by examining their use of industry standards like OWASP or SANS guidelines. Look for regular code reviews and integration of tools like static code analyzers (e.g., SonarQube) to identify vulnerabilities early. Assess documentation and adherence to security policies, such as enforcing secure dependencies through tools like Dependabot. Verify that the team conducts dynamic application security testing (DAST) and penetration testing. Also, check if developers receive regular training on secure coding.
One point that you made that I forgot to mention is the continuing education. With how quickly our industry evolves it’s really important to make sure for any security or development team that they have continuing education going forward.
I would conduct interviews with team members to determine if they are familiar with secure coding processes and if they are actually following them. It’s important to ensure that team members are properly trained and adhering to these practices. I would also review the project documentation to confirm that it includes guidelines for secure coding, such as input validation, encryption, and error handling. Finally, I would check if the team performs regular code reviews, where both developers and security experts look for any vulnerabilities and confirm that secure coding standards are being followed.
Hi Aisha
I agree with you on conducting interview with team members to determine if they are familiar with secure coding processes and if they are actually following them. however code review and peer reviews are not enough sometimes; If it is humanly impossible to scan the code for errors, source code scanners and testing tools can be used.
*****Was mistakenly uploaded to question .*******
To determine if an application dev team has used secure coding practices, I would introduce the application to a code review and a set of scanners such as RATS and flawFinder that would analyze the code for flaws.
I would also use the SANS reading Assessing Vendor Application Security A Practical Way to Begin as a guideline in conducting interviews to review the practices used by the developers against industry standard regulations, frameworks, and controls.