Software security assurance (SSA) is an approach to designing, building, and implementing software that addresses security needs from the ground up. Transparency is critical with SSA because it provides a high level of trust that an application performs as intended without any unexpected functions that could lead to security compromises.

The benefits of SSA extend from the companies that develop software to the end users of that software. When procuring a third-party application, SSA assures that you’re getting code built from the ground up with security in mind.

Today’s digitally-powered businesses often depend on integrating multiple software components. Poor security in any of these components could either bring the store offline or put customer data at risk (see SolarWinds). Consider how an eCommerce company depends on a website, an online store, analytics, CRM software, inventory management software, and more.

For software-led businesses that sell software to other companies or users, SSA increases trust in your code. And, when coding custom web applications in-house for your own company’s use, SSA can significantly reduce the likelihood of breaches or compromises from basic security mistakes.

It’s important not to confuse the concept of SSA with the popular idea of shifting security to the left. Shift left guard mainly focuses on moving security checks and tests to earlier phases of the development cycle.

SSA, however, is an entire secure-by-design ethos that evaluates security concerns based on the software’s tasks, the data it will handle, and the vulnerabilities that could be present. 

Software security assurance also differs from quality assurance in that the latter is about ensuring software engineering processes meet defined policies and standards, usually through testing. Security assurance, on the other hand, is all about ensuring that software conforms to its security requirements and doesn’t include any functionality that could compromise security. 

How Software Security Assurance works

Three standard techniques that companies use to ensure software security include:

1. Security by design

Security by design principles is central to SSA. These principles establish the context by determining all the elements that compromise an application and its desired functionalities. From here, the code is written to make a compromise (e.g., malware or injection) and disruption (denial of service) as complex as possible. Security design also puts safeguards that prevent lateral movement and make it easier to detect any compromises.

2. Continuous reviews

With modern development practices driven by DevOps approaches, frequent updates are made to add new software functionality. This makes software security assurance an ongoing process. With any new patch or update, development teams need to evaluate changing security needs based on the dynamic nature of their software. 

3. Penetration testing

Sometimes, vulnerabilities or weaknesses exist within code and are hard to identify without expert opinions. Penetration testing before release provides an additional guarantee of security by simulating a cyber attack on an application and probing for any potentially exploitable weaknesses.  

The responsibility ultimately lies with the CISO to ensure flawed software isn’t used or deployed within their company. But different parties can eventually combine to make assurance assessments. The software vendor itself can assess security and be transparent about results. The company procuring an app can conduct its technical checks, while third-party reviews from independent testing labs or government-approved labs provide an added security assurance evaluation.

Since security assurance is ultimately subjective, it should encompass multiple methods of evaluation, including the development methods used, the security architecture of the app, the results of security tests carried out, and the vendor’s reputation if the app is from a third party. 

More reasons to care about SSA

SSA helps to protect your clients and users from hackers

One of the main benefits of SSA is to protect the clients and users that are ultimately most at risk when they use software that isn’t secure. SSA protects against malware, injections, brute force hacks, and other cyber threats so that intended users (whether customers or business partners) can be confident in a given application. SSA is also important in getting buy-in from other departments and users when software is used internally.

SSA helps you to adopt a security-by-design approach

Any modern software development company needs to prioritize security from the earliest stages of development. Today’s cyber threat landscape is defined by increasingly sophisticated threats and threat actors targeting code weaknesses, particularly in Internet-exposed web applications. Security by design helps businesses confidently deploy the essential apps they depend on without fear of exposure to vulnerabilities. 

SSA helps you to launch successful software

Reputation is everything to companies that launch the software and sell it to other businesses or customers. Creating the perfect application that meets a market need is not enough; security at launch is imperative in a fast-paced digital world. That’s why penetration testing is so crucial in SSA by going the extra mile to ensure applications have been vetted for even the most complex vulnerabilities. 

SSA helps to ensure that your product (and company) can scale

The repercussions of security issues in software become more severe as both the application and vendor scale. An application that starts with a niche user group in one specific region could scale to a more global level, where different data security regulations and customer-demanded reports (e.g., SOC) may mandate more robust security requirements. Prioritizing security during application planning can account for and help the app scale by considering security needs from the outset and implementing measures that will facilitate growth without introducing additional risks. 

Navigating a Software-Reliant World

There’s no getting around the fact that most businesses operate in a software-reliant world. Multiple applications help companies excel, and many of these apps (even in-house apps) involve external code that can result in third-party risks. SSA is one way of several to protect against third-party threats, but dedicated third-party risk management solutions can also be helpful in a complex ecosystem of external code.

Adequate software security should combine approaches like SSA with dedicated third-party risk management processes. Third-party risk monitoring (TPRM) solutions can help to defend against evolving and emerging risks from external parties over which you lack direct control. Learn more about vendor risk management today.

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