How do you make your system development team aware of security and privacy?

Security and privacy are essential aspects of any system development project, but how do you make sure your team is aware of them and follows best practices? In this article, we will explore some strategies to foster a security and privacy culture among your system developers, from the planning stage to the testing and deployment phase.

1 Define security and privacy requirements

The first step is to define the security and privacy requirements for your system, based on the needs and expectations of your stakeholders, the legal and regulatory frameworks, and the industry standards. You should document these requirements clearly and communicate them to your team, as well as to any external partners or vendors involved in the project. You should also establish the roles and responsibilities of each team member regarding security and privacy, and provide them with the necessary training and resources.

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2 Apply security and privacy by design

The second step is to apply the principles of security and privacy by design, which means that you integrate security and privacy features and controls into your system from the beginning, rather than adding them as an afterthought. This will help you avoid potential vulnerabilities, risks, and breaches, and reduce the costs and efforts of fixing them later. You should follow a secure development lifecycle (SDLC) that includes security and privacy activities and checkpoints at each stage, such as threat modeling, risk assessment, code review, and security testing.

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Alireza Tavakoli, CISSP

Incident Response Manager | Pentest Lead
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Security and privacy by design is yet again another proactive approach that helps mitigate risks and build trust with users and stakeholders. To achieve this, its best to start from the initial phase. the only way forward is to map to entire software development lifecycle. from design to deployment and maintenance. Agile and spring models could really help with all the typical issues between client expectations and dev team.

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3 Use secure and privacy-preserving tools and methods

The third step is to use secure and privacy-preserving tools and methods to develop your system, such as encryption, authentication, authorization, data minimization, and anonymization. You should also choose tools and methods that are compatible with your security and privacy requirements, and that follow the best practices and standards of your industry and domain. You should avoid using outdated or deprecated tools and methods that may have known vulnerabilities or flaws, and update them regularly with patches and fixes.

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4 Implement security and privacy testing and validation

The fourth step is to implement security and privacy testing and validation throughout your system development process, to ensure that your system meets your security and privacy requirements and expectations, and that it does not have any defects or weaknesses that could compromise its security and privacy. You should use different types of testing and validation techniques, such as unit testing, integration testing, functional testing, penetration testing, and compliance testing, and use appropriate tools and frameworks to automate and facilitate them.

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Alireza Tavakoli, CISSP

Incident Response Manager | Pentest Lead
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Security and privacy are ongoing processes like a growing child. Threat landscapes evolve, regulations change, and technology advances, so it's vital to continually assess and improve your system's security and privacy measures. To ensure that a system meets security and privacy requirements and expectations, it is crucial to follow a solid road-map. Failing to do so can lead to data breaches, legal issues, and damage to an organization's reputation. Some of them are mentioned here: 1-Define Clear Security and Privacy Requirements such as GDPR,HIPAA,ISO family. 2-Conduct risk assessment. 3-Privacy by design to minimize data collection.

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5 Monitor and audit your system's security and privacy performance

The fifth step is to monitor and audit your system's security and privacy performance, once it is deployed and in operation, to detect and respond to any incidents or issues that may arise, and to measure and improve its security and privacy effectiveness and efficiency. You should use various monitoring and auditing tools and methods, such as logs, alerts, reports, metrics, and feedback, and analyze them regularly to identify and resolve any problems or gaps, and to implement corrective and preventive actions.

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David Schunk

IT Professional | CompTIA Sec | Active Secret Clearence | Host of Voice of Adoptees | Leader for New Hampshire VMUG | IT Infrastructure & Security Consultant | Adoptee
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Auditing privacy and performance on work systems is essential to maintain data security and ensure optimal functionality. One method involves conducting regular privacy assessments to evaluate data handling practices, access controls, and compliance with relevant regulations. Performance audits, on the other hand, focus on system efficiency, monitoring factors like response times, resource utilization, and scalability. Additionally, log analysis and intrusion detection systems help identify potential privacy breaches and performance bottlenecks in real-time. By combining these methods, organizations can proactively address both privacy and performance concerns, enhancing the overall quality and security of their work systems.

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Jennet G.

Guide, Lead and Communicate Risks
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Absolutely monitor but also ensure that notification procedure is in place, ownership is defined and action needed from the system owners are clearly defined and communicated. Table top exercises also help, to ensure that if such incidents happen, that everyone needs to be involved, knows exactly what to do.

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6 Promote security and privacy awareness and education

The sixth step is to promote security and privacy awareness and education among your system development team, as well as among your users and customers, to increase their knowledge and skills on security and privacy issues and best practices, and to foster a positive attitude and behavior towards security and privacy. You should provide your team with ongoing training and learning opportunities, such as workshops, webinars, courses, and certifications, and encourage them to share their experiences and insights with each other and with the wider community. You should also educate your users and customers on how to use your system securely and privately, and how to protect their data and rights.

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David Schunk

IT Professional | CompTIA Sec | Active Secret Clearence | Host of Voice of Adoptees | Leader for New Hampshire VMUG | IT Infrastructure & Security Consultant | Adoptee
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To promote a workplace culture centered on privacy and performance, conduct regular workshops, provide ongoing training, and encourage open communication. Recognize and reward contributions to these aspects, maintain clear policies, and stay updated with industry trends and regulations. This approach fosters an environment where data security and system efficiency are top priorities, enhancing overall operations.

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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?

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System Development

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How do you make your system development team aware of security and privacy?

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3

4

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1 Define security and privacy requirements

2 Apply security and privacy by design

3 Use secure and privacy-preserving tools and methods

4 Implement security and privacy testing and validation

5 Monitor and audit your system's security and privacy performance

6 Promote security and privacy awareness and education

7 Here’s what else to consider

System Development

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How do you make your system development team aware of security and privacy?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define security and privacy requirements

2 Apply security and privacy by design

3 Use secure and privacy-preserving tools and methods

4 Implement security and privacy testing and validation

5 Monitor and audit your system's security and privacy performance

6 Promote security and privacy awareness and education

7 Here’s what else to consider

System Development

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