How do you secure your code in development?

3 Use version control and encryption

The third step to secure your code is to use version control and encryption to manage and protect your code changes and history. Version control is a system that tracks and records your code modifications, allowing you to revert, merge, or branch your code as needed. Encryption is a method that scrambles your data with a key, making it unreadable to anyone who does not have the key. You can use version control and encryption together to ensure that your code is backed up, synchronized, and secured. For example, you can use Git as a version control system and encrypt your local and remote repositories with tools such as GPG or GitCrypt.

4 Implement authentication and authorization

The fourth step to secure your code is to implement authentication and authorization mechanisms to control who can access and modify your code. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user or a system, while authorization is the process of granting or denying permissions to a user or a system. You can use authentication and authorization to prevent unauthorized or malicious access to your code, such as by hackers, insiders, or third parties. For example, you can use passwords, tokens, certificates, or biometrics to authenticate users or systems, and use roles, policies, or rules to authorize users or systems.

5 Scan and test your code for vulnerabilities

The fifth step to secure your code is to scan and test your code for vulnerabilities before deploying it to production. Vulnerabilities are weaknesses or flaws in your code that can be exploited by attackers to compromise your system or data. You can use tools and methods to scan and test your code for vulnerabilities, such as static analysis, dynamic analysis, code review, or penetration testing. You can also use tools and platforms that automate and integrate the scanning and testing process, such as Snyk, Veracode, or GitHub Actions.

6 Update and patch your code regularly

The sixth and final step to secure your code is to update and patch your code regularly after deploying it to production. Updating and patching your code means applying the latest fixes and improvements to your code, such as bug fixes, security patches, or feature enhancements. Updating and patching your code regularly can help you prevent or mitigate new or emerging threats, improve your code performance and reliability, and comply with regulations and standards. You can use tools and services that automate and monitor the updating and patching process, such as Dependabot, NPM Audit, or Azure DevOps.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?