Writing Secure Code

This chapter discusses why it is important to write secure code. Writing secure code takes coordination and cooperation of various functional areas within an organization, and may require fundamental changes in the way software development is designed, written, tested, and implemented. It requires the developer to work in conjunction with the rest of the project team and other key stakeholders to meet the challenges that must be defined, reconciled, and overcome prior to the release of the software or system. The additional push to market that can drive the rapid development process can also have a negative impact on the security of the application. The problem must be dealt with in two ways, technical and procedural. Technically, the programmers must be aware of the pitfalls associated with application development and avoid them. Procedurally, the development team and organization need to adhere to a consistent methodology of development. This consistency also needs to include the identification of security risks at every stage of the process, including the requirements analysis.