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Ensuring Safety and Robustness with Software Security Testing
Gain insights into the critical importance of software safety and security in today's digital landscape. Learn about modern security-by-design approaches, effective risk management, and best practices for ensuring software integrity and maintaining software security.
The Importance of Software Safety and Security?
The importance of software safety and security was highlighted in July 2024 when a defective CrowdStrike software update for Microsoft Windows caused outages worldwide, affecting airlines, banks, healthcare institutions, and media outlets. The impact on people has been enormous, leaving passengers stranded, people unable to access money, and essential medical procedures canceled.
Software security is a two-pronged approach to protecting and securing software against malicious parties accessing sensitive data through cyber-attacks. They are critical in preventing data breaches and financial scams and building trust in software providers.
With more of our everyday lives moving online, the techniques used to build software and the importance of software safety and security have also changed. At the genesis of the digital age, developers created code for software providers from a list of requirements after the software was built.
Today, developers employ a security-by-design approach to meet complex modern-day safety and security requirements, which are a top priority rather than an afterthought.
Common Challenges in Software Safety and Security
Over time, software systems have evolved to become more complex. Where developers previously only had to worry about the integrity of a single piece of software, now they must deal with the vulnerabilities that occur when modern software solutions integrate with legacy systems.
In addition, there is the potential for human error to creep in. When software is in the open and accessed by many people, it opens up multiple new attack vectors that compromise its security.
Tools and Technologies for Software Security Testing
Static and automated testing tools ensure that software code meets specific standards. The automated analysis allows developers to adapt the software configuration as required — meaning that the algorithms would follow a different pattern afterward and provide consistent quality in their testing outcomes.
Safety management and software QA platforms like Squish and Coco move through software code, clicking and testing, and searching for issues.
Regulations and Compliance Requirements
Software is used across every global industry, from aeronautics to financial services, leisure to retail. Each industry has its own set of regulations regarding security and safety that software providers must adhere to. For instance, all industries must comply with GDPR, and banks and investment companies have additional regulatory standards to meet compared to retailers.
Software developers must be aware of industry-specific safety and security standards and ensure their solutions are compliant. Regular reporting and maintaining up-to-date documentation provide proof that software meets these standards. Documenting where data is stored, who can access it, how it's protected, and how to recover it helps prevent attacks and mitigate the chances of data losses.
The impact of non-compliance can be wide-ranging, from irretrievable reputational damage to enormous fines and, in some cases, losing licenses.
Future Trends in Software Safety and Security
Software safety and security requirements will become even more complex as the Internet of Things network of interconnected devices grows.
Everything from cars to white goods is connected to the internet now, offering updates and troubleshooting capabilities through an app. This increases the number of threats and potential security issues.
Indeed, the Internet of Things is one of many emerging cyber security threats in the 21st century. However, collaboration and information sharing are among the most effective ways of reacting to future security threats, with developers sharing best practices and learning from each other as threats diversify in the coming years.
