Secure Software Development Policy (ENG-POL-001)

1. Objective

The objective of this policy is to establish comprehensive security requirements for the design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of software applications and systems at [Company Name]. This policy ensures that security controls are integrated throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information systems and electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), while maintaining compliance with HIPAA, HITECH, and SOC 2 requirements and implementing secure coding practices that minimize vulnerabilities and security risks.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all [Company Name] workforce members involved in software development activities, including developers, architects, testers, DevOps engineers, product managers, and project managers. It encompasses all software development projects including new applications, system modifications, third-party integrations, mobile applications, web applications, APIs, and infrastructure-as-code. This policy covers all development environments (development, testing, staging, production), development methodologies (Agile, DevOps, Waterfall), and deployment models (on-premises, cloud, hybrid). It applies to both internally developed software and customizations of third-party applications.

3. Policy

[Company Name] shall implement security controls throughout the entire software development lifecycle to ensure that applications and systems are designed, built, and maintained with appropriate security safeguards.

3.1 Secure Development Lifecycle Framework

All software development projects shall follow a structured secure development lifecycle that integrates security activities into each phase of development.

3.1.1 Security Development Lifecycle Phases

Requirements and Design Phase:

  • Security requirements shall be identified and documented during the requirements gathering process
  • Threat modeling shall be conducted for all applications that process, store, or transmit sensitive data
  • Security architecture reviews shall be performed for new applications and significant modifications
  • Privacy impact assessments shall be completed for applications handling ePHI or personal information
  • Secure design principles shall be applied including defense in depth, least privilege, and fail-secure defaults

Development Phase:

  • Secure coding standards shall be followed for all programming languages and frameworks used
  • Security-focused code reviews shall be conducted for all code changes
  • Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools shall be integrated into the development process
  • Dependency scanning shall be performed to identify vulnerable third-party components
  • Security unit tests shall be developed and executed as part of the testing framework

Testing Phase:

  • Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) shall be performed on all applications before production deployment
  • Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) shall be implemented where technically feasible
  • Penetration testing shall be conducted for all applications handling ePHI or Confidential data
  • Security test cases shall validate proper implementation of security controls
  • Vulnerability assessments shall be performed on the complete application stack

Deployment Phase:

  • Security configuration reviews shall be conducted before production deployment
  • Infrastructure security scanning shall validate secure deployment configurations
  • Secrets management processes shall ensure secure handling of credentials and keys
  • Production environment hardening shall be verified against security baselines
  • Security monitoring and logging shall be implemented for all production applications

Maintenance Phase:

  • Regular security assessments shall be conducted on production applications
  • Security patches and updates shall be applied according to established timelines
  • Continuous monitoring shall detect and alert on security vulnerabilities
  • End-of-life procedures shall ensure secure decommissioning of applications and data

3.1.2 Security Gates and Approval Process

Security gates shall be implemented at key phases to ensure security requirements are met before proceeding:

  • Design Gate: Security architecture review and threat model approval required
  • Code Gate: Static analysis results and code review approval required
  • Test Gate: Dynamic testing results and penetration test approval required
  • Deploy Gate: Security configuration review and vulnerability scan approval required
  • Production Gate: Security monitoring implementation and incident response procedures verified

3.2 Secure Coding Standards

All software development shall adhere to established secure coding practices to prevent common vulnerabilities and security weaknesses.

3.2.1 General Secure Coding Principles

Input Validation and Sanitization:

  • All user inputs shall be validated, sanitized, and encoded before processing
  • Input validation shall be performed on both client-side and server-side
  • Parameterized queries or prepared statements shall be used for all database interactions
  • File upload functionality shall include content type validation and malware scanning
  • Data length limits and format validation shall be enforced for all input fields

Authentication and Session Management:

  • Strong authentication mechanisms shall be implemented including multi-factor authentication
  • Session tokens shall be cryptographically secure and include appropriate expiration timeouts
  • Password storage shall use approved cryptographic hash functions with salt
  • Account lockout mechanisms shall prevent brute force attacks
  • Session management shall include secure token generation, validation, and termination

Authorization and Access Control:

  • Role-based access control (RBAC) shall be implemented for all application functions
  • Principle of least privilege shall be enforced for all user and system accounts
  • Authorization checks shall be performed for every request and transaction
  • Direct object references shall be validated to prevent unauthorized access
  • Administrative functions shall require elevated authentication and approval

Error Handling and Logging:

  • Error messages shall not reveal sensitive information or system details
  • Comprehensive logging shall capture security-relevant events for audit purposes
  • Log data shall be protected against unauthorized access and tampering
  • Failed authentication attempts and suspicious activities shall be logged and monitored
  • Debug information and stack traces shall not be exposed in production environments

3.2.2 Language-Specific Secure Coding Requirements

Web Application Development:

  • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) prevention through output encoding and Content Security Policy (CSP)
  • Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection using tokens and SameSite cookie attributes
  • SQL injection prevention through parameterized queries and input validation
  • Secure HTTP headers implementation (HSTS, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options)
  • HTTPS enforcement for all communications with proper certificate validation

Mobile Application Development:

  • Platform-specific security features utilization (iOS Keychain, Android Keystore)
  • Certificate pinning for network communications
  • Local data encryption using platform encryption APIs
  • Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP) implementation
  • Anti-tampering and reverse engineering protection

API Development:

  • OAuth 2.0 or equivalent authentication frameworks for API access
  • Rate limiting and throttling to prevent abuse
  • API versioning and deprecation procedures with security considerations
  • Input validation and output filtering for all API endpoints
  • Comprehensive API documentation including security requirements

3.3 Code Review and Static Analysis

All code shall undergo thorough review processes to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities before deployment.

3.3.1 Manual Code Review Requirements

Peer Review Process:

  • All code changes shall be reviewed and formally approved by at least one qualified peer before being merged into the main branch. This approval shall be documented within the version control system (e.g., via a pull request approval).
  • Security-focused code reviews shall be conducted by team members trained in secure coding
  • Code reviews shall use standardized checklists covering common security vulnerabilities
  • Review comments and resolutions shall be documented and tracked
  • Critical or high-risk code changes shall require review by senior developers or security team
  • Code review tools powered by AI or static analysis shall be used to assist in identifying potential security issues

Security Review Criteria:

  • Authentication and authorization implementation
  • Input validation and output encoding
  • Error handling and information disclosure
  • Cryptographic implementation and key management
  • Third-party library usage and dependency management
  • Configuration management and secrets handling

3.3.2 Automated Static Analysis

Static Analysis Tools:

  • Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools shall be integrated into the development pipeline
  • Code analysis shall be performed automatically on all code commits
  • Build processes shall fail if critical or high-severity vulnerabilities are detected
  • False positive management processes shall ensure accurate vulnerability identification
  • Tool configuration shall be maintained to reflect current security standards and threat landscape

Vulnerability Management:

  • All identified vulnerabilities shall be tracked and prioritized based on risk.
  • Remediation of vulnerabilities shall adhere to the following timelines:
    • Critical vulnerabilities: within [Timeframe, e.g., 7 days]
    • High vulnerabilities: within [Timeframe, e.g., 30 days]
    • Medium vulnerabilities: within [Timeframe, e.g., 90 days]
  • Any vulnerability that cannot be remediated within the defined timeframe shall require a formal risk acceptance document to be signed by the Information Owner and the Security Officer.
  • Vulnerability remediation shall be verified through re-testing.

3.4 Dynamic Testing and Security Assessment

Comprehensive dynamic testing shall validate the security of applications in runtime environments.

3.4.1 Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

Automated Security Scanning:

  • DAST tools shall be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline for continuous security testing
  • Automated scans shall be performed on all web applications and APIs
  • Scanning shall cover common vulnerabilities including OWASP Top 10
  • Scan results shall be automatically triaged and assigned for remediation
  • Baseline scans shall be established to track security improvements over time

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST):

  • IAST tools shall be deployed in testing environments where technically feasible
  • Real-time vulnerability detection during functional testing
  • Integration with development tools for immediate feedback on security issues
  • Coverage analysis to ensure comprehensive security testing
  • Correlation with static analysis results for complete vulnerability assessment

3.4.2 Penetration Testing Requirements

Internal Penetration Testing:

  • Applications handling ePHI or Confidential data shall undergo annual penetration testing
  • Testing shall be performed by qualified internal security team members or approved third parties
  • Testing scope shall include application logic, authentication, authorization, and data protection
  • Network-level testing shall validate infrastructure security controls
  • Social engineering testing shall assess human factors in application security

External Penetration Testing:

  • Critical applications shall undergo annual third-party penetration testing.
  • Testing shall be performed by certified security professionals (CISSP, CEH, OSCP).
  • Testing methodology shall follow industry standards (OWASP, NIST, PTES).
  • A formal remediation plan shall be created for all identified vulnerabilities, with owners and timelines assigned for each finding. This plan shall be tracked to completion by the Security Team.
  • Executive summary and technical reports shall be provided to stakeholders.

3.5 Third-Party Component Management

Security assessment and management of third-party libraries, frameworks, and components shall be implemented throughout the development process.

3.5.1 Dependency Scanning and Management

Automated Dependency Scanning:

  • Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools shall scan all third-party dependencies
  • Vulnerability databases shall be continuously updated to identify newly discovered issues
  • Build processes shall fail if critical vulnerabilities are detected in dependencies
  • License compliance scanning shall ensure proper usage of open source components
  • Dependency inventory shall be maintained for all applications and systems

Vendor Component Assessment:

  • Commercial third-party components shall undergo security assessment before adoption
  • Vendor security practices and incident response capabilities shall be evaluated
  • Source code review requirements for critical commercial components
  • Escrow agreements for critical vendor components to ensure continued access
  • End-of-life planning for vendor components approaching obsolescence

3.5.2 Open Source Security Management

Open Source Governance:

  • Approved list of open source components and frameworks shall be maintained
  • Security review process for introducing new open source dependencies
  • Regular assessment of open source component security status
  • Community support and maintenance status evaluation
  • Legal review of open source licenses and compliance requirements

Vulnerability Response:

  • Immediate assessment of newly disclosed vulnerabilities in used components
  • Emergency patching procedures for critical vulnerabilities
  • Alternative component identification for unmaintained or insecure libraries
  • Coordinated disclosure participation for vulnerabilities discovered in open source projects

3.6 DevOps and CI/CD Security

Security controls shall be integrated into DevOps practices and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

3.6.1 Secure CI/CD Pipeline

Pipeline Security Controls:

  • All CI/CD pipeline components shall be secured and regularly updated
  • Access to pipeline systems shall be restricted and monitored
  • Pipeline configurations shall be version controlled and reviewed
  • Build environments shall be isolated and regularly refreshed
  • Artifact integrity shall be verified through cryptographic signing

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Security:

  • All infrastructure definitions shall be version controlled and reviewed
  • Security scanning of infrastructure templates and configurations
  • Automated compliance checking against security baselines
  • Immutable infrastructure practices to prevent configuration drift
  • Secret management for infrastructure credentials and certificates

3.6.2 Secrets Management

Credential Protection:

  • Application secrets, API keys, and credentials shall never be stored in source code
  • Dedicated secrets management systems shall be used for all sensitive credentials
  • Secrets shall be encrypted at rest and in transit
  • Regular rotation of secrets and credentials
  • Audit logging for all secrets access and usage

Environment Separation:

  • Clear separation between development, testing, staging, and production environments
  • Different credentials and access controls for each environment
  • Production data shall not be used in non-production environments
  • Data masking and anonymization for testing with realistic data sets
  • Network segmentation between development and production environments

3.7 Security Training and Awareness

All development team members shall receive comprehensive security training appropriate to their roles and responsibilities.

3.7.1 Developer Security Training

Initial Training Requirements:

  • Secure coding training for all new developers within [Timeframe, e.g., 30 days] of hire
  • Language and framework-specific security training
  • OWASP Top 10 awareness and prevention techniques
  • Threat modeling and security design principles
  • Security tool usage and integration training

Ongoing Training and Awareness:

  • Annual security training updates covering emerging threats and vulnerabilities
  • Specialized training for developers working on critical or high-risk applications
  • Security conference attendance and knowledge sharing
  • Internal security awareness presentations and workshops
  • Gamification and hands-on security challenges

3.7.2 Security Champions Program

Security Champion Selection:

  • Designated security champions within each development team
  • Additional security training and certification for champions
  • Regular security champion meetings and knowledge sharing
  • Champion responsibility for promoting security within their teams
  • Recognition and incentives for effective security championship

4. Standards Compliance

This policy is designed to comply with and support the following industry standards and regulations.

Policy Section Standard/Framework Control Reference
All HIPAA Security Rule 45 CFR § 164.308(a)(1) - Security Management Process
3.1, 3.2 HIPAA Security Rule 45 CFR § 164.312(a)(1) - Access Control
3.2.1 HIPAA Security Rule 45 CFR § 164.312(a)(2)(i) - Unique User Identification
3.2.1 HIPAA Security Rule 45 CFR § 164.312(e)(1) - Transmission Security
3.4 HIPAA Security Rule 45 CFR § 164.308(a)(8) - Evaluation
All SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria CC8.1 - System Development
3.3, 3.4 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria CC7.1 - System Monitoring
3.6 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria CC6.8 - System Security
All OWASP SAMM Software Assurance Maturity Model
3.2 OWASP Top 10 Web Application Security Risks
All NIST Cybersecurity Framework PR.IP-1 - Baseline Security
3.5 NIST SP 800-161 Supply Chain Risk Management

5. Definitions

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Development practice that enables frequent integration and automated deployment of code changes.

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Security testing method that analyzes applications in their running state to identify vulnerabilities.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Practice of managing and provisioning infrastructure through machine-readable definition files.

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST): Security testing that combines static and dynamic analysis to provide real-time vulnerability detection.

Penetration Testing: Simulated cyber attack against applications or systems to evaluate security defenses.

Software Composition Analysis (SCA): Automated process of identifying open source and third-party components and their associated security vulnerabilities.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Security testing method that analyzes source code to identify potential vulnerabilities.

Threat Modeling: Structured approach to identifying, analyzing, and mitigating potential security threats to applications and systems.

6. Responsibilities

Role Responsibility
Security Officer Develop secure development policies, oversee security testing programs, coordinate security training, and ensure compliance with security standards.
Development Team Lead Ensure team compliance with secure development practices, coordinate security reviews, manage security training, and implement security tools and processes.
Software Developers Follow secure coding standards, participate in code reviews, use security tools, remediate identified vulnerabilities, and complete required security training.
Security Engineers Perform security assessments, conduct penetration testing, review security architecture, provide security guidance, and maintain security tools.
DevOps Engineers Implement secure CI/CD pipelines, manage secrets and credentials, maintain security tools integration, and ensure infrastructure security.
Quality Assurance Team Execute security test cases, validate security controls, coordinate dynamic testing, and verify vulnerability remediation.
Product Managers Define security requirements, prioritize security features, coordinate threat modeling, and ensure security considerations in product decisions.
Architecture Team Design secure system architectures, conduct security design reviews, establish security patterns, and provide security guidance to development teams.
All Workforce Members Report security vulnerabilities and concerns, follow established security procedures, complete required training, and support security initiatives.