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What is a secure SDLC?
A secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) is all about enhancing your cybersecurity efforts at every stage of development. By implementing the right tools, technologies, and processes into every stage of the development lifecycle, you can detect and mitigate vulnerabilities early on, protect sensitive data, and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
At Apriorit, we aim for the ultimate security and resilience in all software we develop, regardless of its complexity. To achieve that, we have rebuilt all of our processes to fully adhere to the main principles of a secure SDLC.
In addition to the customary array of best-fitting technical experts, your project team will be enhanced with a security manager who is entrusted with overseeing all secure SDLC processes on your project.
Others may consider a secure SDLC to be optional. For Apriorit, it is the default way we build software.
Klaudia Zaika
CEO of Apriorit
Member of the Forbes Technology Council
Why a secure SDLC is important
Explore core secure SDLC benefits for your business.
Early detection of vulnerabilities
Eliminate possible flaws before they turn into costly issues and bottlenecks.
End-to-end security risk management
Proactively address cybersecurity risks throughout all stages of the SDLC.
Enhanced user experience
Choose data and operational security measures with a seamless customer experience in mind.
Regulatory
compliance
Ensure full cybersecurity compliance throughout development.
Secured development environment
Safeguard project resources, data, and code against unauthorized access and data leaks.
Product resilience and reliability
Keep your product’s performance stable and secure to withstand potential cyber threats.
Validated operation
security
Rely on rigorous security testing and code reviews for reliable product operation.
Reduced total cost of product
ownership
Minimize potential downtime and the need for extensive post-release maintenance.
How Apriorit secures your software with an SSDLC
To every stage of a traditional SDLC, we add extra measures that strengthen the security of your software solution and optimize future maintenance. In addition to technical experts, an Apriorit security manager evaluates the planning and implementation of relevant cybersecurity measures throughout your product’s secure software development lifecycle.
1. Requirements elicitation
Apriorit experts analyze data sensitivity, user and business impact, the threat landscape, and relevant regulations to identify possible security risks and define the product’s compliance needs at four levels:
- International (e.g. GDPR, EU Cybersecurity Act, NIS2, DORA)
- Local (e.g. California Consumer Privacy Act)
- Idustry (e.g. HIPAA, PCI DSS, FISMA)
- Special (e.g. your company’s contractual agreements)
Our added cybersecurity measures:
- Security requirements elicitation
- Security risk assessment
- Compliance analysis
- Test strategy planning
- Early test design
Our added cybersecurity measures:
- Threat modeling
- Cryptography integration
- Early security test design
- Third-party library security evaluation
- Memory safety and data protection plan
- Zero trust security implementation
- Architecture design security review
2. Architecture design
We build a secure architecture and evaluate it with the help of our security experts.
Implementation of strong cryptographic standards based on NIST recommendations strengthens your product’s protection against next-generation cyber threats.
3. Development
Apriorit professionals establish security standards and baselines specific to your product, revising and improving them as your product evolves.
To do that, our developers:
- Adhere to our internal C/C++ coding standards
- Follow security best practices such as SEI CERT C/C++ coding standards
- Review third-party components against the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list
Our added cybersecurity measures:
- Secure coding guidelines
- Automated static code analysis
- Solution and infrastructure security audit
- Security code review
- Security analysis of third-party components
- Automated dependency management
- Secure source control
- Continuous integration and testing
4. Testing
Leveraging the expertise of our ISTQB-certified quality assurance experts, Apriorit implements a comprehensive security testing strategy for your product.
Our dedicated testing team establishes quality gates for static code analysis, reviews vulnerability metrics and security hotspots, and integrates and tracks code test coverage metrics.
Our added cybersecurity measures:
- Security test strategy implementation
- Quality gates for static analysis
- Test coverage tracking
- Penetration testing
5. Deployment
The Apriorit team ensures a secure deployment and smooth hand-off of the ready product, providing you with clear instructions and detailed testing reports.
Our specialists can also assist you with obtaining digital signatures for released binaries, either by ourselves or by guiding your in-house team.
Our added cybersecurity measures:
- Infrastructure security assessment
- Security testing reports
- Secure configuration
- Secure deployment
Led by security standards and guidelines
Along with time-proven internal security policies and guidelines, Apriorit software development and quality assurance experts rely on the recommendations of leading security guidelines and standards:
Let us take on the burden of building your software in compliance with relevant security standards and regulatory requirements!
What else Apriorit can do to secure your software
Built-in secure SDLC practices are just the baseline for our work. For products that require extra protection or independent evaluation, we offer extended services:
Extended penetration testing services
Independent pentesting
Get an independent evaluation of your product’s security and resilience.
Hire a team of pentesting experts guided by leading industry standards:
Fuzz testing
Leverage the capabilities of fuzzing for your product’s security.
Ensure that every component of your software behaves as it’s supposed to and can securely handle unexpected inputs.
Repeated pentesting
One round of pentesting usually isn’t enough to ensure strong product security.
Have a team of qualified security experts perform repeated pentesting sessions to ensure and validate that all previously found vulnerabilities have been effectively addressed.
Why choose Apriorit for secure software development?
Our clients feel a high level of transparency, predictability, and control, leading to trusting relationships with Apriorit project leaders and account managers.
22+ years
of cybersecurity experience
Niche technical expertise
from low-level to mid-level to cloud development
Solve tasks others can’t
by tackling challenging projects with unique technologies
Ultimate quality and security
of architecture and code
Reliable partner
with collaborations lasting for 20+ years
Trusted by industry leaders
to deliver custom cybersecurity products
Our clients’ success stories
Custom Cybersecurity Solution Development: From MVP to Support and Maintenance
- Developed a secure MVP with a non-disruptive agent
- Implemented advanced data protection measures
- Support and maintenance
Key technologies: React, C++, C#, Linux, Windows
Custom Secrets Management Desktop Application
- Designed a custom secrets management solution
- Implemented offline mode for the desktop application
- Conducted a security audit and suggested improvements
Key technologies: React, Linux, Windows, macOS
SaaS Cybersecurity Platform Improvements
- Added support for multiple processor architectures
- Developed functionality for uploading and managing custom firmware
- Improved the product’s user interface
- Increased the product’s stability
Key technologies: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Bash
What our clients say about us
FAQ
What is a secure SDLC?
<p>A secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC, or secure SDLC) is the practice of embedding tailored cybersecurity measures into software during requirements elicitation, design, development, testing, and deployment.</p>
At every stage, security experts apply a specific set of practices to address potential risks, ensuring that security is integrated seamlessly into the software lifecycle. This helps the development team detect and mitigate vulnerabilities early, protect sensitive data, and ensure regulatory compliance.
How does a secure SDLC address security?
<p>In traditional software development, security-related activities such as code reviews and security testing often happen once software is built, leading to the untimely discovery of hidden vulnerabilities and increased security risks.</p>
<p>At Apriorit, our approach integrates security into every phase of the SDLC, from the first day of the project. Our experts enhance the product’s security by planning testing strategies in advance, implementing advanced data protection measures, following DevSecOps principles, and conducting continuous security assessments throughout the development process.In traditional software development, security-related activities such as code reviews and security testing often happen once software is built, leading to the untimely discovery of hidden vulnerabilities and increased security risks.</p>
At Apriorit, our approach integrates security into every phase of the SDLC, from the first day of the project. Our experts enhance the product’s security by planning testing strategies in advance, implementing advanced data protection measures, following DevSecOps principles, and conducting continuous security assessments throughout the development process.
What are the challenges of implementing an SSDLC and why outsource your SSDLC to Apriorit?
<p>Implementing a secure SDLC can be complex, as this process requires introducing significant changes to the familiar ways of delivering software. Your team may need to adjust its internal culture and adopt new tools, technologies, and approaches.</p>
At Apriorit, we have already overcome these challenges and perfected our approach. Our team is fully aligned with secure SDLC best practices. This allows our clients to confidently outsource their most demanding development tasks to us while their in-house teams focus on other business-critical tasks.
How do you ensure compliance with industry-specific regulations?
<p>Apriorit incorporates relevant compliance measures right from the stage of requirement elicitation. Our team of business analysts and security experts identifies relevant standards and regulations for each project, ensuring that they are fully integrated into the software’s architecture and development process.</p>
All code written by Apriorit specialists undergoes regular reviews and audits to verify security and compliance. We maintain strict adherence to industry-recognized security standards such as OWASP, NIST, and CIS Benchmarks, as well as to international and industry-specific regulations, laws, and standards like the GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
How does your secure SDLC process help reduce the total cost of ownership for software?
<p>By addressing security risks early in the development process, Apriorit’s secure SDLC helps our clients minimize the likelihood of delayed discovery of costly vulnerabilities. Early detection and fixes of cybersecurity issues reduce the need for extensive post-release patches and mitigate potential downtime, significantly lowering long-term support and maintenance costs.</p>
Delivering resilient and stable software, we also help our clients reduce operational disruptions and ensure smooth, cost-effective product lifecycle management.
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