When addressing software supply chain security risks, it is typical for companies to employ various strategies and many security levels. However, cyber threats are ever-evolving, and new and advanced malicious agents are mushrooming every other minute. In light of this, one of the best methods to ensure the security of your software application is to address any security vulnerabilities while it’s still being developed. This is particularly challenging because not all software development life cycle models explicitly address software security issues. To ensure the security of your product, you must apply software development principles, regardless of the software development lifecycle model you choose.
The NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development (SSDF) Framework is particularly useful.
In response to the increasing incidence of cyber-attacks on software during its developmental stages, NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has produced an indispensable roadmap to enhance software development methods to accommodate today’s dynamic digital environment. This is outlined in the NIST 800-218 compliance standard, also known as the NIST SP 800-218, Secure Software Development Framework V1. 1: Recommendations for Mitigating the Risk of Software Vulnerabilities. Launched on March 22, 2021, the framework offers developers, security specialists, and decision-makers all the knowledge they need to create dependable software in an increasingly interconnected world, from risk management to secure coding techniques.
However, while ensuring adherence to any new security standard, you may feel overwhelmed going through the controls and requirements of NIST 800-218 SSDF. You may have many questions but need more answers. To help your predicament, we at Akitra have specially curated this blog for you. This blog will answer the five most frequently asked questions about NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF).
But first, what does the NIST 800-218 SSDF entail? Let’s find out.
What is the NIST 800-218 Security Software Development Framework?
The NIST 800-218 Security Software Development Framework (SSDF) outlines some of the fundamental procedures you should follow to ensure the security of the software you are developing. These rules explicitly address security concerns in software development. However, these were only approved following the release of the NIST SP 800-218 paper, which includes the definitions of SSDF version 1.1.
While the high-level activities and practices were the same, most variations focused on the different instances. Based on these guidelines, risk was supposed to be weighed against cost, practicality, and application when choosing the practices to apply. Automating as many procedures and tests that support software security as possible was a crucial factor to consider in the final draft. This was to lessen the possibility and effect of security exploitations brought on by undiscovered vulnerabilities.
The NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework encourages risk-based planning, secure coding practices, and security testing throughout the software development life cycle. Ongoing observation is heavily emphasized in the framework, enabling collaboration between the development and security teams. By following NIST 800-218, organizations can strengthen software security, lower vulnerabilities, and develop resilient applications in the dynamic landscape of cybersecurity threats.
Five Most Frequently-Asked Questions About NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF)
Here are the top five most frequently-asked questions about NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF):
- What is the Software Development Lifecycle (SLDC)?
Software development lifecycle management, or SDLC, is a process for planning, developing, and managing software. The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) comes in waterfall, spiral, and agile forms. It is imperative for an organization to implement secure software development procedures, regardless of the variants employed, because of these three reasons, as cited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):
- To limit the number of vulnerabilities in your deployed software;
- To lessen the effects of vulnerabilities that are exploited; and,
- To deal with the underlying issue causing the vulnerabilities in your applications.
NIST created the Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF) to help with the software development lifecycle (SLDC).
- What are the Benefits of the Secure Software Development Framework?
Adopting the NIST 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework can benefit your organization in many ways, as highlighted below:
Reduces Vulnerabilities for Developers to Deal With: Closures are lessened when a development addresses potential weaknesses and security requirements early on. It gives developers a clear understanding of the kinds of programs, calls, and functions they must write to prevent code exposure. Determining a secure software architecture also reduces the likelihood of unforeseen vulnerabilities occurring at any time.
Applicable to the Development of Different Software: Security is essential for all software, whether desktop, web, mobile, or any other. Identifying the proper protective controls for each will take a lot of time. On the other hand, you can quickly produce an accurate security plan, architecture, and codebase using a safe development framework.
Compatible with all SLDC Approaches: You don’t need to change your development methodology to use the NIST 800-218 SSDF. These frameworks offer the rules you must abide by to secure your chosen SDLC methodology. This allows you to curate software more quickly and within business limitations, meeting all criteria in a more digitally secure setting.
Compliant with all Other Security Standards: Every company has unique objectives when it comes to data and system security. For example, you must adhere to HIPPA if you design software for a medical facility, while PCI-DSS requirements are required for financial operations. Using a secure development methodology, you may easily comply with standards without sacrificing quality, performance, stability, or scalability.
Prevents Software Tampering Ensuring Long-Term Security Impact: The main goal of using such a framework is ensuring the code remains unchangeable. It helps maintain the source code’s integrity and prevent unwanted access and change. You can also reduce the number of vulnerabilities in the final release by employing the NIST 800-218 SSDF. Furthermore, you can create updates, test apps periodically, and release new versions to increase functionality and fortify data protection in the interim.
- What is the M-22-18?
M-22-18 is a memorandum that lends teeth to the NIST Secure Software Development Framework and makes it a must-have security assurance program. The NIST 800-218 was previously merely a suggestion; however, now it is required of all software suppliers the US Government engages with. M-22-18 is neither another GDPR framework that may be circumvented by legal means nor an ISO 27001 standard that may need to be obtained with many documents.
The M-22-18 memorandum discusses software security from the perspective of us, the security specialists, in our little “hobbyist” organizations. It is about having security champions in your development teams with role-specific training. It is also about explicit security requirements analysis and validation and talks about the concept of threat modeling becoming mainstream. Software security should be approached methodically and applied throughout the whole software development lifecycle, according to M-22-18.
- What Does Each Practice Definition Include?
As we have mentioned here before, the practices outlined in the NIST 800-218 SSDF manual are categorized into four categories: Prepare the Organization (PO), Protect the Software (PS), Produce Well-Secured Software (PW), and Respond to Vulnerabilities (RV). However, each practice can also be subdivided into four elements. These include:
Practice: The practice’s name and unique identifier, followed by a brief explanation of what the practice is and why it is beneficial.
Tasks: One or more actions may be needed to perform a practice. Every task has a certain topic. You must purchase a product that will satisfy only some of these needs. Policies are the only way to address some themes. A few are safe procedures for developing software. Most will offer several options for meeting them.
Examples: One or more notional implementation examples of types of tools, processes, or other methods that could be used to help implement a task. No examples or combination of examples are required; the stated examples are not the only feasible options. Some examples may only apply to some organizations.
References: Pointers to one or more established secure development practice documents and their mappings to a particular task. Not all references will apply to all instances of software development.
- How is the NIST 800-218 SSDF Related to the NIST IoT for Cybersecurity Program?
For an organization looking to establish systematic approaches to integrating cybersecurity into their IoT products, such as during the design and development stages and lowering the burden on customers for product security, NIST’s SSDF and the Cybersecurity for IoT Program guidance are fundamental and complementary tools.
By putting the SSDF into practice, an organization can focus on completing the remaining components required for that product, as the established infrastructure can be tailored to satisfy many of the non-technical baseline requirements outlined in the Cybersecurity for IoT Program. About the technical baseline requirements, the SSDF offers the organization a framework for putting into practice the IoT product capabilities required to satisfy the technical baseline standards. Establishing organizational compliance with the SSDF strengthens the ability to execute the baselines of the IoT Cybersecurity Guidelines.
Security and Compliance for Secure Software Development with Akitra!
Establishing trust is a crucial competitive differentiator when courting new SaaS businesses in today’s era of data breaches and compromised privacy. Customers and partners want assurances that their organizations are doing everything possible to prevent disclosing sensitive data and putting them at risk, and compliance certification fills that need.
Akitra offers an industry-leading, AI-powered Compliance Automation platform for SaaS companies. Akitra, with its expertise in technology solutions and compliance, is well-positioned to assist companies in navigating the complexities of various compliance standards. As this standard focuses on secure software development, Akitra can provide invaluable guidance in implementing the necessary frameworks and processes.
Using automated evidence collection and continuous monitoring, together with a full suite of customizable policies and controls as a compliance foundation, our compliance automation platform and services help our customers become compliance-ready for NIST’s 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework and other security standards, such as SOC 1, SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, NIST CSF, NIST 800-53, NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, CCPA, CMMC, SOX ITGC, and more such as CIS AWS Foundations Benchmark, Australian ISM and Essential Eight etc. In addition, companies can use Akitra’s Risk Management product for overall risk management using quantitative methodologies such as Factorial Analysis of Information Risks (FAIR) and qualitative methods, including NIST-based for your company, Vulnerability Assessment and Pen Testing services, Trust Center, and AI-based Automated Questionnaire Response product to streamline and expedite security questionnaire response processes, delivering huge cost savings. Our compliance and security experts also provide customized guidance to navigate the end-to-end compliance process confidently. Last but not least, we have also developed a resource hub called Akitra Academy which provides easy-to-learn short video courses on security, compliance, and related topics of immense significance for today’s fast-growing companies.
The benefits of our solution include enormous savings in time, human resources, and cost savings, including discounted audit fees with our audit firm partners. Customers can achieve compliance certification fast and cost-effectively, stay continuously compliant as they grow, and become certified under additional frameworks from our single compliance automation platform.
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