What is “Secure By Design”?

6 min readSep 20, 2023

The prevalence of cyber threats and the potential for devastating data breaches have underscored the importance of adopting a proactive security approach. One such approach gaining traction is “Secure by Design,” a concept that advocates integrating security measures into the very foundation of digital systems and processes.

Traditionally, security has often been an afterthought, bolted on to systems and applications once they were already in use. This reactive approach, however, has proven inadequate in the face of modern cyber threats. Cybercriminals have grown more sophisticated, exploiting vulnerabilities in software and infrastructure to steal data, disrupt operations, and compromise privacy. As a result, the need for a more proactive and preventive approach to security has never been more urgent.

What Is Secure by Design?

Secure by Design represents a fundamental shift in the way we think about security. It is a philosophy that prioritizes security from the very inception of a digital system, product, or service. Instead of adding security features as an afterthought, Secure by Design calls for the integration of security measures throughout the entire development lifecycle. This proactive approach aims to reduce vulnerabilities, minimize risks, and ensure that security is a core element of any digital solution.

Key Principles of Secure by Design

Threat Modeling: Secure by Design starts with identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities. This involves analyzing the system’s architecture, data flows, and potential attack vectors to understand where security weaknesses may exist.
Principle of Least Privilege: Access rights should be restricted to the minimum necessary for users and processes to perform their functions. This minimizes the potential for unauthorized access.
Secure Coding Practices: Developers should follow secure coding practices and guidelines to prevent common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and buffer overflows.
Continuous Testing and Monitoring: Regularly testing and monitoring systems for vulnerabilities and unusual behavior can help identify and mitigate security issues promptly.
Data Encryption: Sensitive data should be encrypted both in transit and at rest to protect it from unauthorized access.
Authentication and Authorization: Implement robust authentication and authorization mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive resources.
Patch Management: Keep software and systems up to date with the latest security patches to address known vulnerabilities.

Why Secure by Design Matters

Cost-Effective: Integrating security measures early in the development process is more cost-effective than retrofitting security later, as it reduces the need for extensive remediation efforts.
Risk Mitigation: By proactively addressing security risks, organizations can reduce their exposure to potential threats and minimize the likelihood of data breaches and cyberattacks.
Regulatory Compliance: Many industries are subject to stringent regulations and compliance requirements. Secure by Design can help organizations meet these obligations more effectively.
Customer Trust: Demonstrating a commitment to security can enhance customer trust and reputation, as customers are increasingly concerned about the safety of their data.
Resilience: Systems designed with security in mind are more resilient in the face of cyberattacks, ensuring that critical operations can continue even under duress.

Putting Secure by Design (SbD) into practice

The Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF — NIST 800–218), which teams can use to be more effective at finding and removing vulnerabilities in software they’ve already released. This approach mitigates the potential impact of those vulnerabilities being exploited, and addresses the root causes of them so they don’t happen again.

Secure Software Development Framework | CSRC (nist.gov)

There are many approaches to SSDF, ranging from the comprehensive government level frameworks like NIST 800–218 as mentioned above, or more community-driven options like the OWASP SAMM project.

To achieve SbD, the following points need to be kept in mind:

Build your network with tried-and-true technology as it’s critical to remain up to date on technology and library vulnerabilities and to apply patches timely.
Raising awareness by informing developers on the necessities and frequent hazards to the software they create.
Set maintainability standards and give methods to measure them since maintainable source code is necessary for security.
Go for automated verifications and perform manual inspections.
Amplify to encompass privacy.

Understanding with an example

Let’s consider an example of Secure by Design in action within the context of developing a web application:

Scenario: A software development company is creating an e-commerce platform for a client, and they want to ensure that the application is secure by design.

1. Threat Modeling: The development team begins by conducting a threat modeling exercise. They identify potential threats and vulnerabilities that the e-commerce platform may face, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and unauthorized access to customer data.

2. Principle of Least Privilege: The development team follows the principle of least privilege when designing user roles and permissions within the application. They ensure that each user, whether it’s an administrator, a customer, or a vendor, only has access to the specific features and data they need to perform their tasks. For example, vendors can access their own product listings but cannot modify other vendors’ information.

3. Secure Coding Practices: During development, the team strictly adheres to secure coding practices. They use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection, sanitize user inputs to prevent XSS attacks, and validate user authentication credentials securely.

4. Continuous Testing and Monitoring: The application undergoes continuous testing and monitoring throughout the development lifecycle. Automated security scanning tools are used to identify vulnerabilities, and regular penetration testing is conducted to simulate real-world attacks. Any vulnerabilities discovered are promptly addressed and fixed.

5. Data Encryption: Sensitive data, such as customer payment information, is encrypted using strong encryption algorithms both in transit (via HTTPS) and at rest (stored in a secure database). Encryption keys are managed securely.

6. Authentication and Authorization: The application implements multi-factor authentication for administrators and strong password policies for all users. Authorization checks are performed at every access point to ensure that users can only perform actions they are authorized for.

7. Patch Management: The development team actively monitors for security updates and patches related to the application’s dependencies, frameworks, and libraries. They have a patch management process in place to apply updates promptly.

8. Secure APIs: If the application exposes APIs for integrations, those APIs are designed with security in mind. They use authentication tokens or API keys, and rate limiting is applied to prevent abuse.

9. Secure Development Training: The development team receives regular training on secure coding practices and cybersecurity awareness to ensure they are well-informed about the latest security threats and best practices.

10. Incident Response Plan: In addition to preventive measures, the team has an incident response plan in place. They know how to respond in case of a security incident, including notifying affected parties and authorities as required by data protection regulations.

By following these Secure by Design principles throughout the development process, the software development company ensures that security is an integral part of their e-commerce platform. This proactive approach reduces the risk of security breaches, protects customer data, and builds trust among users. It demonstrates how Secure by Design can be effectively applied to create a resilient and secure digital solution.

References:

Secure by Design | CISA

10 security-by-design principles to include in the SDLC | TechTarget