Security by Design: Secure From the Start

Security by Design meaning

Security by design is a concept that refers to the integration of security measures into the design and development of a product, system, or application from the very beginning. The goal of security by design is to ensure that security is an inherent part of the product, rather than being added on as an afterthought.

In practical terms, security by design means that security is considered throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from the initial planning and design stages through to testing and deployment. This approach involves identifying potential security risks and vulnerabilities early on in the development process and designing security controls and measures to mitigate those risks.

Why was Security by Design developed?

Security by design was initiated as a response to the increasing prevalence of cybersecurity threats and the need for organizations to better protect their sensitive data and assets. In the past, many organizations focused primarily on developing products and systems that were functional and met user needs, without giving sufficient attention to security.

However, as the frequency and severity of cyberattacks and data breaches have increased, organizations have come to recognize the critical importance of building security into their products and systems from the outset. Security by design was initiated as a way to address this need and ensure that security is an inherent part of product development, rather than being added on as an afterthought.

By incorporating security measures from the very beginning of the development process, security by design helps to minimize the risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities. This approach recognizes that addressing security issues after a product has been developed can be time-consuming and expensive, and may not be effective in fully mitigating security risks.

Instead, security by design emphasizes the importance of identifying potential security risks and vulnerabilities early on in the development process and designing security controls and measures to address those risks. This approach helps to ensure that security is an integral part of the product or system, rather than being viewed as an optional extra.

Explore the benefits

Security by design is an approach to product development that emphasizes the integration of security measures from the very beginning of the design and development process. This approach offers a range of benefits for organizations, including:

1. Reduced risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities: By incorporating security measures from the outset, organizations can significantly reduce the likelihood of security issues arising later on in the development lifecycle. This can help to minimize the risk of data breaches, cyberattacks, and other security incidents that could compromise sensitive data and assets.
2. Lower costs and faster time to market: Addressing security issues after a product or system has been developed can be time-consuming and expensive. By designing security controls and measures from the outset, organizations can save time and money by avoiding the need to address security issues after the fact. This can help to speed up the development process and get products to market faster.
3. Enhanced customer trust and satisfaction: Security breaches and vulnerabilities can erode customer trust and satisfaction, leading to reputational damage and lost business. By prioritizing security from the outset, organizations can demonstrate a commitment to protecting customer data and assets, which can enhance trust and satisfaction among their customers.
4. Improved regulatory compliance: Many industries are subject to strict regulatory requirements around data security and privacy. By incorporating security controls and measures from the outset, organizations can better comply with these regulations and avoid costly fines and penalties.
5. Stronger culture of security: Incorporating security measures into product development from the beginning can help to foster a culture of security within organizations. This can help to ensure that security is seen as a core part of their operations, rather than as an add-on or optional extra.

Security by Design core principles

The principles of security by design involve incorporating security measures into the entire software development process. This approach emphasizes the importance of designing software with security in mind from the very beginning, rather than adding security as an afterthought.

The following are some of the core principles of security by design:

• Threat modeling: This involves identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities in the software and creating a plan to address them. This process is typically conducted at the design phase of the software development process.
• Secure coding practices: This involves using coding techniques that minimize the risk of vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows, cross-site scripting, and SQL injection. Secure coding practices also include implementing input validation and output encoding to prevent input injection attacks.
• Access control: This principle involves limiting access to sensitive data and resources only to those who have the necessary permissions. Access control can be achieved through the use of authentication, authorization, and encryption.
• Secure communication: This principle involves ensuring that data transmitted between different components of the software is secure and protected from interception or tampering. Secure communication can be achieved through the use of encryption protocols such as TLS/SSL.
• Continuous monitoring: This principle involves monitoring the software and the environment it operates in, for potential threats and vulnerabilities. By continuously monitoring the software, cybersecurity professionals can identify and respond to any security incidents in a timely manner.

Cloud Security by Design – an evolving space

Cloud security by design is an approach to cloud computing that prioritizes security considerations from the very beginning of the design process. It involves integrating security best practices into every stage of cloud infrastructure development, from the initial design to ongoing maintenance and updates.

The core competencies of cloud security by design include:

• Secure design principles: Cloud security by design involves designing cloud infrastructure with security in mind. This includes implementing security best practices such as network segmentation, access control, and encryption.
• Identity and access management (IAM): IAM is critical for cloud security by design, as it enables the control and management of user access to cloud resources. Proper IAM practices ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data and resources.
• Data protection: Cloud security by design prioritizes the protection of sensitive data stored in the cloud. This includes implementing encryption, data masking, and access control measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
• Threat and vulnerability management: Threat and vulnerability management involves identifying potential security threats and vulnerabilities and taking proactive measures to mitigate them. This includes regular vulnerability scans and security assessments to identify and address potential security issues.
• Compliance and governance: Cloud security by design also involves ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards, such as GDPR and HIPAA. It also involves establishing governance policies and procedures to ensure ongoing security and compliance.

What’s ahead?

The future of security by design is a growing trend in the cybersecurity industry, which emphasizes integrating security measures into every stage of software development. This proactive approach to security has been gaining momentum as the number of cyber-attacks continues to rise, and companies are becoming more aware of the importance of secure software development.

According to recent research, the cost of a data breach in 2021 was $4.24 million, a 10% increase from the previous year. Additionally, the average time to identify and contain a data breach was 287 days, a significant increase from previous years. These statistics highlight the need for a more proactive approach to security, such as security by design, to prevent cyber-attacks from happening in the first place.

The concept of security by design involves incorporating security measures into the design phase of software development rather than adding security as an afterthought. This approach ensures that security is built into the product from the ground up, rather than being bolted on as an afterthought. By integrating security into the design process, cybersecurity professionals can identify potential vulnerabilities and address them before they become exploitable by attackers.

Moreover, the shift towards cloud computing and the increasing use of internet-connected devices have created new security challenges that require a proactive approach. As a result, security by design has become an essential aspect of modern software development practices, enabling cybersecurity professionals to provide more secure products and services to their clients.

BigID’s Security by Design Approach

The best security teams understand that being proactive is the best defense. BigID’s data intelligence platform for privacy, security and governance operates with security by design in mind. Using advanced AI and machine learning algorithms, BigID’s powerful automated data discovery scans, identifies, and classifies all your organization’s sensitive data—giving you greater visibility and deeper understanding of all your enterprise data.

BigID’s Security Suite features a variety of powerful tools like the Access Intelligence App which allows you to identify and remediate high-risk data at scale and enable zero-trust for your organization. Implement controls, reduce risk, and improve your security posture with continuous monitoring and risk scoring.

Get a 1:1 demo with our security experts to see how BigID can improve your organization’s security infrastructure.