Twitter recently fell victim to a data breach caused by misconfigured settings on an application programming interface (API). Hackers stole the information of 5.4 million users and posted it to an online forum. Threat actors then began selling the information online for $30,000.
Attacks like these are a wake-up call to companies of all sizes to take code security more seriously. Secure code reviews play a pivotal role in helping organizations prevent vulnerabilities in software code that lead to cybersecurity breaches. Let’s look at the role of secure code reviews, why they’re so important, and best practices for implementation.
A secure code review is a technique for locating security bugs early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Reviewers audit an application’s source code to verify that it has proper security and logical controls in place. The review is most effective when combined with automated and manual penetration testing. Secure code review improves the effectiveness of security verification for an application.
Even the most careful software developer can introduce the kind of weaknesses tracked by OWASP. These subtle vulnerabilities can be tricky to remediate once they are caught. Many software engineers focus on making an application functional and may lack the awareness or training to effectively prevent security weaknesses.
Problems can arise when businesses don’t devote sufficient resources and effort to application security. When customers use a product, they don’t know whether the code that built it is inherently secure. Many vendors also fail to put in much effort to secure code. Security experts need support in advocating for secure code reviews to ensure that a missed bug doesn’t lead to a massive cybersecurity threat.
Secure code reviews help organizations feel confident that their application developers follow secure development techniques. Ideally, any penetration testing should not reveal additional application vulnerabilities after it’s undergone a secure code review. At the end of a code review, developers should be able to verify that:
Developers perform code reviews to locate application failures and bugs. They also use these opportunities to find ways of improving the software build. You can have a single developer conduct a code review or work with someone else as a pair. They’re performed after committing code or after executing a new pull request, when code is requested from a specific branch.
Code reviews are most effective when performed frequently. The focus is on quality, with the reviewer following established guidelines to ensure the code meets specific goals and metrics.
The secure code review process differs in that the reviewer prioritizes security. There must be an awareness of avenues for potential security breaches in places like:
Static application security testing (SAST) tools, such as Kiuwan, make it easier to automate tasks by scanning code and identifying specific gaps. Automation is especially helpful in verifying software functionality and security for various scenarios. In essence, code reviews help improve software quality, while secure code reviews help locate security vulnerabilities.
Secure code reviews should follow a structured process carried out by a team with at least one person with security expertise. Below is a general overview of how to conduct a code review.
Start by defining the review’s goals and objectives. Are you trying to find vulnerabilities specific to certain technologies, like insecure database connections? Reasons for conducting a secure code review include evaluating a company’s security posture or ensuring that a business is complying with regulatory requirements. Use these objectives to guide your review process and ensure it aligns with the organization’s overall security goals.
From there, set the scope of the code review, including what parts of the codebase to review. Make sure the people chosen for your review team have the expertise needed to ensure a successful, secure code review. It’s also a good practice to define your security criteria to evaluate during the process, including:
The first thing you should do is provide everyone on the review team with access to the application’s source code. Those chosen should have familiarity with the software’s features and any business restrictions that might apply.
From there, start pulling together all documentation related to the secure code review. Make sure you have a development environment that mirrors production. Make note of any third-party libraries, frameworks, or components used within the code. Other items to consider include:
This is where the review team begins reviewing the code, looking for security weaknesses. Everyone should stick to the guidelines and checklists established during the code preparation phase. Automated code tools can help identify common vulnerabilities, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and insecure configuration settings, in places like API keys or database connection strings. Look at how information flows through the application, including input, storage, and output.
Document issues in a structured manner. Reviewers should include:
After identifying a security issue, the development team should follow best practices to resolve it. They may need to change code, update configurations, or change current coding practices. Those efforts should culminate in the resolution of the vulnerability or in ways to mitigate its effects.
Kiuwan’s source code scanning tools make it easier for developers to conduct secure code reviews quickly and efficiently. Locate known security vulnerabilities in your source code and eliminate those defects before they can be exploited by attackers looking to make you the next security breach headline. Request a free demo and see it in action.
