UNIT 1
ITAS
Application Design and Development Security
Application security in design and development is crucial to prevent vulnerabilities that
could lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, or system compromise. Here are key
principles and best practices to follow:
1. Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
Integrate security at every stage of development (Requirement, Design,
Development, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance).
Conduct threat modeling early to identify and mitigate risks.
Use secure coding standards (e.g., OWASP Secure Coding Practices).
2. Secure Design Principles
Least Privilege – Grant only the minimum access required.
Defense in Depth – Layered security controls to prevent single-point failures.
Fail Securely – Ensure proper error handling and avoid leaking sensitive data.
Secure Defaults – Use secure configurations by default.
3. Secure Coding Practices
Input validation to prevent SQL Injection, XSS, and CSRF attacks.
Use parameterized queries instead of string concatenation in SQL.
Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit (e.g., AES-256, TLS 1.3).
Implement proper authentication and authorization (OAuth 2.0, JWT, RBAC).
Regularly update libraries and frameworks to patch known vulnerabilities.
4. Secure Authentication & Authorization
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Store passwords securely using bcrypt or Argon2 hashing.
Implement session management (e.g., proper session timeouts, secure cookies).
Use role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC).
5. Secure API Development
Implement API authentication using OAuth 2.0, JWT, or API keys.
Enforce rate limiting to prevent DDoS attacks.
Validate input/output to prevent injection attacks.
Implement CORS policies correctly to restrict unauthorized cross-origin access.
6. Secure Data Storage & Transmission
Use TLS (SSL) encryption for data in transit.
Implement end-to-end encryption for sensitive data.
Store encryption keys securely using HSM or a secrets manager.
Apply proper access control policies on databases.
7. Security Testing & Monitoring
Conduct static (SAST) and dynamic (DAST) security testing.
Perform penetration testing and code audits.
Implement runtime application self-protection (RASP).
Monitor logs using SIEM (Security Information and Event Management).
8. Compliance & Regulatory Requirements
Follow security standards like ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS.
Implement data privacy measures based on legal requirements.
Regularly perform security audits and maintain compliance reports.