The first step in any secure code review is to plan the process. This includes identifying the scope of the review, setting the objectives, and establishing the resources required.
The scope of the review should include the source code, libraries, and dependencies of the application. The objectives should focus on identifying vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers and ways to mitigate them. The resources required should include tools and personnel
The analysis phase of secure code review involves examining the source code for vulnerabilities. There are two primary methods for conducting analysis: manual and automated.
Manual analysis involves reviewing the code line-by-line to identify security issues. Automated analysis involves using tools to scan the code for vulnerabilities. A combination of both methods is typically used to ensure that all vulnerabilities are identified.
Finally, I will document a detailed report of my findings and remedial recommendations. The report will contain a comprehensive overview of all the vulnerabilities that were found during the assessment.
It will also provide a detailed analysis of each vulnerability, including its level of severity, a description of the vulnerability, and the specific location where it exists. The report will include visual evidence of the exploitation of each vulnerability to help readers fully understand the potential impact of these issues.
To ensure that the vulnerabilities are effectively addressed, the report will provide step-by-step instructions for remediation. This will include guidance on the best approach to take, as well as any tools or resources that may be required to fix the issues.
The final step in secure code review is remediation. This involves addressing the vulnerabilities identified in the analysis phase.
Remediation may involve fixing the code, updating libraries and dependencies, and implementing new security controls. It is important to prioritise the vulnerabilities based on their risk and potential impact and to allocate resources accordingly.
This step will be done by your software engineers, if needed I may help them to address it correctly ;-)
A secure code analysis is a process for examining software code to identify vulnerabilities which when exploited, could compromise the security integrity of the software.
Secure code is the foundation of your application security. That is the starting point of making sure you comply with all the regulatory and legal requirements. It is the best way to ensure that your business keep s customer data confidential. And provide additional confidence in its integrity.
The whole process consists of 6 stages, outlined above in detail:
Price would vary depending on the scope of work. Variety of languages (Ruby, Python, Javascript, Bash, Java etc) used and the way application is being used. I will provide detailed cost breakdown for your approval before the start of the project.
The length of time a code review takes is directly dependent on the language, length and complexity of the application under assessment. I will give you an estimate prior to engagement and confirm this before commencing the review.
In many industries, including the financial industries and healthcare, secure code reviews are a mandatory part of the compliance requirement. More significantly, though, a security code review will greatly reduce the attack surface of an application and reduce costs of remediation required to address the security vulnerabilities post-launch.
In the Software Development Life Cycle process a secure code analysis is typically conducted at the end of the Development Phase to ensure time for cost-effective remediation of any coding flaws identified. Alternatively, before the launch of the application to ensure the vulnerabilities are not exposed.