What is an Application Security Lifecycle?
The Application Security Lifecycle encompasses various stages focusing on identifying, managing, and mitigating security vulnerabilities throughout the development and operational phases of an application. This lifecycle aims to ensure that applications are secure from inception to decommissioning.
1. Planning and Design
During this phase, security requirements are defined. Teams assess potential security risks and incorporate best practices and security controls in the application's architecture.
2. Development and Implementation
Developers utilize secure coding practices and tools like static application security testing (SAST). Peer code reviews are encouraged to spot vulnerabilities early in the coding process.
3. Testing
Comprehensive security testing, including dynamic application security testing (DAST) and vulnerability assessments, is performed. This allows teams to identify weaknesses before deployment.
4. Deployment
Before going live, applications should undergo a final security review. Ensuring that all identified vulnerabilities are remediated is crucial at this stage.
5. Maintenance and Monitoring
Continuous monitoring for vulnerabilities and threats in the deployed application is vital. Regular updates and patches should be applied to manage new security risks.
6. Decommissioning
Properly retiring applications includes ensuring secure data disposal and removing any residual access points to prevent exploitation after the application's life cycle ends.