The annual average cost of cybercrime is predicted to hit more than $23 trillion in 2027.
With cybercrime continuing to grow exponentially each year, cybersecurity is becoming even more imperative for companies around the world.
What is Cybersecurity?
According to Gartner, the world’s leading research and advisory company, Cybersecurity is the practice of deploying people, policies, processes, and technologies to protect organizations, their critical systems, and sensitive information from digital attacks.
Why is cybersecurity a hot topic?
Every aspect of daily life utilizes, or sometimes even requires, the use of technology and digital information. This access and use of digital information has become a cornerstone to getting work done but also opens companies up to vulnerabilities.
The more access points into information and technology, the increased likelihood of data breaches and cyberattacks. Cyberattack tactics are becoming more sophisticated, requiring organizations to keep up defenses or face the consequences.
What are the types of Cybersecurity?
As cyber risk continues to grow and techniques attackers use to gain leverage change, the methods of cyber security to safeguard against potential threats continue to evolve. There are several types of cybersecurity categories companies must consider to reduce risk and prevent incidents. Types of cybersecurity to consider include:
- Network Security
- Cloud Security
- Information Security
- IoT (Internet of Things) Security
- Operational Security
- Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
- Identity and Access Management
- Application Security
Preventing Cybercrime via the Development Process
Every company depends on various software and technologies to run day-to-day business. Noting that these various tools have become essential to keep the world turning, software development processes must stand as a first defense against security issues by enacting initiatives and protocols to prevent vulnerabilities that could open risks to end users.
The Importance of Including Security and Compliance in the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
The landscape of software development is constantly changing. Developers must stay abreast of modern technologies, tools, and tricks to stay ahead of competition. Developers must also be aware of new risks and challenges as they arise to prevent catastrophic failures of software, compromised systems, and data leaks.
What is DevSecOps?
DevSecOps is the practice of integrating security testing at every stage of the software development process. It includes tools and processes that encourage collaboration between developers, security specialists, and operation teams to build software that is both efficient and secure. Keeping an up to date and comprehensive Software Bill of Materials is an essential element in effective DevSecOps.
What is a Software Bill of Materials and how is it used? A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is a list of all the components, dependencies, and metadata that make up a software application. SBOMs are used to improve software security, supply chain security, and regulatory compliance. Almost all software that is developed today leverages open-source solutions, known as third-party packages, to enhance functionality within the software. Keeping track of these third-party packages within the SBOM is essential to reduce the risk of software becoming compromised.
What are some of the benefits and risks of using third-party packages?
Utilizing third-party packages can save developers time and resources, allowing them to capitalize on pre-written code that handles common tasks with ease. Oftentimes these packages are so well-known and widely used that there are large communities of support and ongoing enhancements that become available for use. That noted, third-party packages can also introduce risks if developers do not keep up to date with enhancements and weaknesses within the third-party packages are discovered and exploited.
“96% of Engineers surveyed said their organization would benefit from the automation of security and compliance processes.”
Noting each piece of software may utilize dozens, if not hundreds of third-party packages, and missing an enhancement or overlooking dependency conflicts for one or more packages may result in vulnerabilities, how can developers keep up and mitigate risk? The answer is via Software Composition Analysis.
What is Software Composition Analysis?
Software Composition Analysis (SCA)is the practice of analyzing software to detect third-party dependencies and check if they are up-to-date or contain security flaws. SCA, complete with dependency scanning, can help you catch vulnerabilities early, avoid costly breaches, and keep your software secure and compliant. Include and automate this essential component in your DevSecOps protocols and never release with a vulnerable dependency again. Not sure where to start? Protean Labs can help.