Rajat Sharma is the founder and Director of application security at CWS.
“We may have a data leak.”
“There was unauthorized access to our systems.”
These are among the most dreaded statements for any company, triggering a cascade of stressful events. Security engineers must determine the extent of a breach and patch vulnerabilities, PR teams must manage the inevitable backlash and legal teams assess the potential financial impact.
The 2020s have underscored that data is a company’s most valuable asset, and cybercriminals are relentless in their attempts to compromise it. Whether it is government agencies, large telecommunications firms or defense contractors, no one is immune.
The era of “build fast, security last” is over. Moving forward, companies must implement robust application security (AppSec) programs to protect against various cyber threats.
Covering The Bases With AppSec
Although the name “application security” may appear to relate to a niche portion of a company’s operations (information systems, primarily), the reality is that AppSec integrates with a wide spectrum of business needs and requirements. The most obvious of these is the various regulatory and compliance frameworks that businesses may need to meet based on the organization’s industry. These frameworks include but are not limited to:
Businesses often need to comply with multiple frameworks to operate smoothly across different markets. AppSec programs prioritize compliance, continuously monitoring information systems to ensure adherence to relevant standards. If non-compliance is detected, actionable insights are provided to remediate issues immediately.
Establishing compliance with AppSec will have a number of downstream benefits for any business. For example, many business-to-business or sub-processing contracts will hinge on compliance. The sooner the organization can confirm these requirements are met, then the easier it will be to expand service offerings and partnerships with other vendors or suppliers.
Moreover, by ensuring regulatory compliance, organizations will have already taken a major step in securing their IT operations and applications. Frameworks such as ISO 27001 and NIST 800-53 provide detailed instructions on what is necessary to build, host and operate securely in the modern cloud-computing environment. By validating that proper data encryption is present for data at rest as well as in transit, businesses greatly reduce the possibility of security breaches and leaking their customer data.
According to Deloitte, “Sixty-seven percent of smartphone users worry about data security and privacy on their phones, and 62% of smart home users worry about the same on their smart home devices.” Organizations that reflect these same values will have a competitive advantage in the marketplace, where customers will gravitate to the solution they can trust to handle their information with the protection it deserves.
Beyond fortifying defences, AppSec programs can significantly boost developer velocity by embracing “Shift-Left” security, integrating security measures early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This proactive approach, combined with automation, turns security from a bottleneck into an efficiency driver. Automated scans and compliance checks provide real-time feedback without disrupting workflows, reducing time spent on last-minute fixes and ensuring faster, more reliable software releases. This allows businesses to focus on innovation while maintaining a consistent and secure release schedule.
Implementing An AppSec Program
Given the complexities of regulatory compliance, customer expectations and the need for developer efficiency, a well-structured AppSec program is essential. The first step is to define business objectives and determine how the AppSec program can address them. For example, if an organization handles payment information across multiple regions, the AppSec program should focus on meeting relevant regulatory requirements. In high-risk environments, a more comprehensive approach may be necessary.
Generally speaking, businesses should consider the following when defining their AppSec program:
Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
SCA tools scan third-party and open-source components for vulnerabilities and licensing issues. This helps identify and remediate security flaws in the software supply chain.
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
SAST tools analyze source code, bytecode and binaries for security vulnerabilities without executing the application. This early detection of issues like SQL injection and buffer overflows allows developers to address security concerns before they become more complex and costly.
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
DAST tools simulate real-world attacks on live applications, uncovering vulnerabilities that may only manifest during runtime. This approach complements static analysis and provides insights into how an application might behave under attack.
Package And Container Scanning
As containerization and microservices become more common, scanning tools are crucial for analyzing container images and software packages for vulnerabilities. This reduces the attack surface and ensures a secure, compliant infrastructure.
Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
CSPM tools monitor cloud environments for misconfigurations, compliance violations and security risks. These tools provide real-time visibility into cloud infrastructure, helping organizations maintain a strong security posture in multi-cloud and hybrid environments.
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Governance
Governance aligns AppSec initiatives with business objectives and regulatory requirements. It includes policies, procedures and processes that guide security controls across the organization, ensuring consistency and alignment with industry standards. A well-structured governance model also establishes clear roles and responsibilities, sustaining the AppSec program over time.
Conclusion
These categories cover most general needs in an AppSec program, but businesses requiring more robust security controls should also consider infrastructure-as-code (IaC) scanning, application security posture management (ASPM) as well as cloud workload protection platforms.
Evident from the aforementioned aspects, AppSec requires careful consideration to determine exactly what is required to meet an organization’s business requirements and to develop robust defences against any potential cybersecurity threats.
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