Shift left (and achieve compliance) with repeatable secure coding skills
Almost every developer team these days employs some form of compliance training, whether it’s part of an initial certification process used to ensure that a company is staying within the bounds of industry frameworks or governmental regulations, or as part of an annual requirement or review. It’s an important step, because if an organization can’t meet basic compliance requirements, then its workers can’t realistically perform their duties.
Compliance rules exist for a reason, because anyone working within the field those rules cover must have at least a fundamental understanding of all the relevant processes and procedures, as well as any applicable laws.
While compliance training is important, completing the mandated minimum requirements does not ensure true application security. This is especially true of developers trying to integrate secure coding skills into their daily workflow. Almost every developer undergoes some form of compliance training, and yet when surveyed, 67% admitted that they often left vulnerabilities in their code.
Why?
For the second year, Secure Code Warrior conducted "The state of developer-driven security survey, 2022" in partnership with Evans Data Corp in December 2021. We surveyed 1,200 developers globally to understand the skills, perceptions, and behaviors when it comes to secure coding practices, and their impact and perceived relevancy in the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
In terms of why compliance training is not achieving improved software security, this is an issue that we have been talking about for a long time. The recent survey simply spotlights this problem.
On the one hand, developers are being asked to step up to new roles by including cybersecurity throughout the software development process, including as they are initially writing the code for applications and programs. But writing secure code, or even just learning all about the cybersecurity issues and vulnerabilities that could affect it, is not an easy task.In the survey, 63% of the developers said that writing secure code was a difficult task.
The difficulty of writing secure code should not come as a surprise. There is a reason why so many high-paying cybersecurity jobs are going unfulfilled, with over 3.5 million world wide openings at last count. If it was easy work, everyone would be jumping into that field. Learning how to combat threats and eliminate vulnerabilities within code is difficult, and the threat landscape is constantly changing. Static compliance training or one-time classes can’t keep up or provide the kind of education developers need. It may check a box in terms of compliance, but can’t provide real application security assurances for your organization or enable developers to write secure code, or the skills to find and fix code vulnerabilities.
Compliance and security training are important, but different
Organizations must start to realize and acknowledge what compliance training can do, and what it can’t. Don’t abandon compliance training, especially if it’s mandated by law. And especially because (even with current training methods) 92% of survey respondents stated that they needed at least some training in compliance-related issues or security frameworks, with 50% stressing the need for significant compliance training.
The compliance frameworks they were most interested in training with included those that are specific to various industries, though several general cybersecurity frameworks also made the list. They included the CIS Security Framework, PCI DSS, the OWASP Top 10, MISRA C, ISO/IEC, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and others.
So yes, train in those frameworks, but understand that checking a box on compliance training does not equal providing a foundation for the ongoing creation of secure code.
Instead, view compliance training as part of an ongoing opportunity to expand your developer’s secure coding skills that can be repeated outside of the compliance cycle, so they can create and release secure software every day. Shift the priority from achieving compliance to enabling development teams to code securely with continuous learning. By investing time and resource in developer enablement then those yearly check-box compliance exercises or exams will become a breeze for your staff to pass and complete, while benefiting from improved productivity overall.
How can you make the shift to developer-driven security?
Developers overwhelmingly said that training was valuable, but took issue with the type of training that they have received regarding secure coding over the years. Developers said they wanted to see more of an emphasis on practical training using real-world examples that were relevant to their jobs (30%). More interactivity was also seen as critical by 26% of the respondents, especially if they were able to actually practice writing secure code as part of those exercises.
A desire to receive more guided training focusing on the specific vulnerabilities they were most likely to encounter in their industry or sector was seen as important to 23% of the developers surveyed, while 22% wanted to see more real-world vulnerability examples in their training courses.
It’s clear that simply providing static, non-interactive training (which is typically the experience for compliance training) has little value in terms of repeatable developer security skills. Instead,organizations should focus on things like just-in-time training, where developers are taughtabout security as they work. You might even consider implementing a tiered learning program.
With a tiered approach, larger topics are typically broken down into discrete learning experiences or concepts. As developers progress, more advanced concepts are layered on top of those already mastered, just like physical scaffolding is constructed as a building grows higher. This makes for a proven method to teach a difficult and constantly evolving topic like cybersecurity, by first breaking it down into smaller, less complex chunks and then building more complexity on top of that foundation.
However you decide to approach your developer security skills program, keeping it separate from compliance exercises will be key. Both compliance and security training are important, and both require different approaches to achieve success.
For further reading
Whitepaper: The challenges (and opportunities) to improve software security.
Whitepaper: The preventative developer approach to software security.
Report: The state of developer-driven security.
Almost every developer team these days employs some form of compliance training, whether it’s part of an initial certification process used to ensure that a company is staying within the bounds of industry frameworks or governmental regulations, or as part of an annual requirement or review. It’s an important step, because if an organization can’t meet basic compliance requirements, then its workers can’t realistically perform their duties.
Secure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
Book a demoSecure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
Secure Code Warrior builds a culture of security-driven developers by giving them the skills to code securely. Our flagship Agile Learning Platform delivers relevant skills-based pathways, hands-on missions, and contextual tools for developers to rapidly learn, build, and apply their skills to write secure code at speed.
Almost every developer team these days employs some form of compliance training, whether it’s part of an initial certification process used to ensure that a company is staying within the bounds of industry frameworks or governmental regulations, or as part of an annual requirement or review. It’s an important step, because if an organization can’t meet basic compliance requirements, then its workers can’t realistically perform their duties.
Compliance rules exist for a reason, because anyone working within the field those rules cover must have at least a fundamental understanding of all the relevant processes and procedures, as well as any applicable laws.
While compliance training is important, completing the mandated minimum requirements does not ensure true application security. This is especially true of developers trying to integrate secure coding skills into their daily workflow. Almost every developer undergoes some form of compliance training, and yet when surveyed, 67% admitted that they often left vulnerabilities in their code.
Why?
For the second year, Secure Code Warrior conducted "The state of developer-driven security survey, 2022" in partnership with Evans Data Corp in December 2021. We surveyed 1,200 developers globally to understand the skills, perceptions, and behaviors when it comes to secure coding practices, and their impact and perceived relevancy in the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
In terms of why compliance training is not achieving improved software security, this is an issue that we have been talking about for a long time. The recent survey simply spotlights this problem.
On the one hand, developers are being asked to step up to new roles by including cybersecurity throughout the software development process, including as they are initially writing the code for applications and programs. But writing secure code, or even just learning all about the cybersecurity issues and vulnerabilities that could affect it, is not an easy task.In the survey, 63% of the developers said that writing secure code was a difficult task.
The difficulty of writing secure code should not come as a surprise. There is a reason why so many high-paying cybersecurity jobs are going unfulfilled, with over 3.5 million world wide openings at last count. If it was easy work, everyone would be jumping into that field. Learning how to combat threats and eliminate vulnerabilities within code is difficult, and the threat landscape is constantly changing. Static compliance training or one-time classes can’t keep up or provide the kind of education developers need. It may check a box in terms of compliance, but can’t provide real application security assurances for your organization or enable developers to write secure code, or the skills to find and fix code vulnerabilities.
Compliance and security training are important, but different
Organizations must start to realize and acknowledge what compliance training can do, and what it can’t. Don’t abandon compliance training, especially if it’s mandated by law. And especially because (even with current training methods) 92% of survey respondents stated that they needed at least some training in compliance-related issues or security frameworks, with 50% stressing the need for significant compliance training.
The compliance frameworks they were most interested in training with included those that are specific to various industries, though several general cybersecurity frameworks also made the list. They included the CIS Security Framework, PCI DSS, the OWASP Top 10, MISRA C, ISO/IEC, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and others.
So yes, train in those frameworks, but understand that checking a box on compliance training does not equal providing a foundation for the ongoing creation of secure code.
Instead, view compliance training as part of an ongoing opportunity to expand your developer’s secure coding skills that can be repeated outside of the compliance cycle, so they can create and release secure software every day. Shift the priority from achieving compliance to enabling development teams to code securely with continuous learning. By investing time and resource in developer enablement then those yearly check-box compliance exercises or exams will become a breeze for your staff to pass and complete, while benefiting from improved productivity overall.
How can you make the shift to developer-driven security?
Developers overwhelmingly said that training was valuable, but took issue with the type of training that they have received regarding secure coding over the years. Developers said they wanted to see more of an emphasis on practical training using real-world examples that were relevant to their jobs (30%). More interactivity was also seen as critical by 26% of the respondents, especially if they were able to actually practice writing secure code as part of those exercises.
A desire to receive more guided training focusing on the specific vulnerabilities they were most likely to encounter in their industry or sector was seen as important to 23% of the developers surveyed, while 22% wanted to see more real-world vulnerability examples in their training courses.
It’s clear that simply providing static, non-interactive training (which is typically the experience for compliance training) has little value in terms of repeatable developer security skills. Instead,organizations should focus on things like just-in-time training, where developers are taughtabout security as they work. You might even consider implementing a tiered learning program.
With a tiered approach, larger topics are typically broken down into discrete learning experiences or concepts. As developers progress, more advanced concepts are layered on top of those already mastered, just like physical scaffolding is constructed as a building grows higher. This makes for a proven method to teach a difficult and constantly evolving topic like cybersecurity, by first breaking it down into smaller, less complex chunks and then building more complexity on top of that foundation.
However you decide to approach your developer security skills program, keeping it separate from compliance exercises will be key. Both compliance and security training are important, and both require different approaches to achieve success.
For further reading
Whitepaper: The challenges (and opportunities) to improve software security.
Whitepaper: The preventative developer approach to software security.
Report: The state of developer-driven security.
Almost every developer team these days employs some form of compliance training, whether it’s part of an initial certification process used to ensure that a company is staying within the bounds of industry frameworks or governmental regulations, or as part of an annual requirement or review. It’s an important step, because if an organization can’t meet basic compliance requirements, then its workers can’t realistically perform their duties.
Compliance rules exist for a reason, because anyone working within the field those rules cover must have at least a fundamental understanding of all the relevant processes and procedures, as well as any applicable laws.
While compliance training is important, completing the mandated minimum requirements does not ensure true application security. This is especially true of developers trying to integrate secure coding skills into their daily workflow. Almost every developer undergoes some form of compliance training, and yet when surveyed, 67% admitted that they often left vulnerabilities in their code.
Why?
For the second year, Secure Code Warrior conducted "The state of developer-driven security survey, 2022" in partnership with Evans Data Corp in December 2021. We surveyed 1,200 developers globally to understand the skills, perceptions, and behaviors when it comes to secure coding practices, and their impact and perceived relevancy in the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
In terms of why compliance training is not achieving improved software security, this is an issue that we have been talking about for a long time. The recent survey simply spotlights this problem.
On the one hand, developers are being asked to step up to new roles by including cybersecurity throughout the software development process, including as they are initially writing the code for applications and programs. But writing secure code, or even just learning all about the cybersecurity issues and vulnerabilities that could affect it, is not an easy task.In the survey, 63% of the developers said that writing secure code was a difficult task.
The difficulty of writing secure code should not come as a surprise. There is a reason why so many high-paying cybersecurity jobs are going unfulfilled, with over 3.5 million world wide openings at last count. If it was easy work, everyone would be jumping into that field. Learning how to combat threats and eliminate vulnerabilities within code is difficult, and the threat landscape is constantly changing. Static compliance training or one-time classes can’t keep up or provide the kind of education developers need. It may check a box in terms of compliance, but can’t provide real application security assurances for your organization or enable developers to write secure code, or the skills to find and fix code vulnerabilities.
Compliance and security training are important, but different
Organizations must start to realize and acknowledge what compliance training can do, and what it can’t. Don’t abandon compliance training, especially if it’s mandated by law. And especially because (even with current training methods) 92% of survey respondents stated that they needed at least some training in compliance-related issues or security frameworks, with 50% stressing the need for significant compliance training.
The compliance frameworks they were most interested in training with included those that are specific to various industries, though several general cybersecurity frameworks also made the list. They included the CIS Security Framework, PCI DSS, the OWASP Top 10, MISRA C, ISO/IEC, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and others.
So yes, train in those frameworks, but understand that checking a box on compliance training does not equal providing a foundation for the ongoing creation of secure code.
Instead, view compliance training as part of an ongoing opportunity to expand your developer’s secure coding skills that can be repeated outside of the compliance cycle, so they can create and release secure software every day. Shift the priority from achieving compliance to enabling development teams to code securely with continuous learning. By investing time and resource in developer enablement then those yearly check-box compliance exercises or exams will become a breeze for your staff to pass and complete, while benefiting from improved productivity overall.
How can you make the shift to developer-driven security?
Developers overwhelmingly said that training was valuable, but took issue with the type of training that they have received regarding secure coding over the years. Developers said they wanted to see more of an emphasis on practical training using real-world examples that were relevant to their jobs (30%). More interactivity was also seen as critical by 26% of the respondents, especially if they were able to actually practice writing secure code as part of those exercises.
A desire to receive more guided training focusing on the specific vulnerabilities they were most likely to encounter in their industry or sector was seen as important to 23% of the developers surveyed, while 22% wanted to see more real-world vulnerability examples in their training courses.
It’s clear that simply providing static, non-interactive training (which is typically the experience for compliance training) has little value in terms of repeatable developer security skills. Instead,organizations should focus on things like just-in-time training, where developers are taughtabout security as they work. You might even consider implementing a tiered learning program.
With a tiered approach, larger topics are typically broken down into discrete learning experiences or concepts. As developers progress, more advanced concepts are layered on top of those already mastered, just like physical scaffolding is constructed as a building grows higher. This makes for a proven method to teach a difficult and constantly evolving topic like cybersecurity, by first breaking it down into smaller, less complex chunks and then building more complexity on top of that foundation.
However you decide to approach your developer security skills program, keeping it separate from compliance exercises will be key. Both compliance and security training are important, and both require different approaches to achieve success.
For further reading
Whitepaper: The challenges (and opportunities) to improve software security.
Whitepaper: The preventative developer approach to software security.
Report: The state of developer-driven security.
Click on the link below and download the PDF of this resource.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
View reportBook a demoSecure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
Secure Code Warrior builds a culture of security-driven developers by giving them the skills to code securely. Our flagship Agile Learning Platform delivers relevant skills-based pathways, hands-on missions, and contextual tools for developers to rapidly learn, build, and apply their skills to write secure code at speed.
Almost every developer team these days employs some form of compliance training, whether it’s part of an initial certification process used to ensure that a company is staying within the bounds of industry frameworks or governmental regulations, or as part of an annual requirement or review. It’s an important step, because if an organization can’t meet basic compliance requirements, then its workers can’t realistically perform their duties.
Compliance rules exist for a reason, because anyone working within the field those rules cover must have at least a fundamental understanding of all the relevant processes and procedures, as well as any applicable laws.
While compliance training is important, completing the mandated minimum requirements does not ensure true application security. This is especially true of developers trying to integrate secure coding skills into their daily workflow. Almost every developer undergoes some form of compliance training, and yet when surveyed, 67% admitted that they often left vulnerabilities in their code.
Why?
For the second year, Secure Code Warrior conducted "The state of developer-driven security survey, 2022" in partnership with Evans Data Corp in December 2021. We surveyed 1,200 developers globally to understand the skills, perceptions, and behaviors when it comes to secure coding practices, and their impact and perceived relevancy in the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
In terms of why compliance training is not achieving improved software security, this is an issue that we have been talking about for a long time. The recent survey simply spotlights this problem.
On the one hand, developers are being asked to step up to new roles by including cybersecurity throughout the software development process, including as they are initially writing the code for applications and programs. But writing secure code, or even just learning all about the cybersecurity issues and vulnerabilities that could affect it, is not an easy task.In the survey, 63% of the developers said that writing secure code was a difficult task.
The difficulty of writing secure code should not come as a surprise. There is a reason why so many high-paying cybersecurity jobs are going unfulfilled, with over 3.5 million world wide openings at last count. If it was easy work, everyone would be jumping into that field. Learning how to combat threats and eliminate vulnerabilities within code is difficult, and the threat landscape is constantly changing. Static compliance training or one-time classes can’t keep up or provide the kind of education developers need. It may check a box in terms of compliance, but can’t provide real application security assurances for your organization or enable developers to write secure code, or the skills to find and fix code vulnerabilities.
Compliance and security training are important, but different
Organizations must start to realize and acknowledge what compliance training can do, and what it can’t. Don’t abandon compliance training, especially if it’s mandated by law. And especially because (even with current training methods) 92% of survey respondents stated that they needed at least some training in compliance-related issues or security frameworks, with 50% stressing the need for significant compliance training.
The compliance frameworks they were most interested in training with included those that are specific to various industries, though several general cybersecurity frameworks also made the list. They included the CIS Security Framework, PCI DSS, the OWASP Top 10, MISRA C, ISO/IEC, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and others.
So yes, train in those frameworks, but understand that checking a box on compliance training does not equal providing a foundation for the ongoing creation of secure code.
Instead, view compliance training as part of an ongoing opportunity to expand your developer’s secure coding skills that can be repeated outside of the compliance cycle, so they can create and release secure software every day. Shift the priority from achieving compliance to enabling development teams to code securely with continuous learning. By investing time and resource in developer enablement then those yearly check-box compliance exercises or exams will become a breeze for your staff to pass and complete, while benefiting from improved productivity overall.
How can you make the shift to developer-driven security?
Developers overwhelmingly said that training was valuable, but took issue with the type of training that they have received regarding secure coding over the years. Developers said they wanted to see more of an emphasis on practical training using real-world examples that were relevant to their jobs (30%). More interactivity was also seen as critical by 26% of the respondents, especially if they were able to actually practice writing secure code as part of those exercises.
A desire to receive more guided training focusing on the specific vulnerabilities they were most likely to encounter in their industry or sector was seen as important to 23% of the developers surveyed, while 22% wanted to see more real-world vulnerability examples in their training courses.
It’s clear that simply providing static, non-interactive training (which is typically the experience for compliance training) has little value in terms of repeatable developer security skills. Instead,organizations should focus on things like just-in-time training, where developers are taughtabout security as they work. You might even consider implementing a tiered learning program.
With a tiered approach, larger topics are typically broken down into discrete learning experiences or concepts. As developers progress, more advanced concepts are layered on top of those already mastered, just like physical scaffolding is constructed as a building grows higher. This makes for a proven method to teach a difficult and constantly evolving topic like cybersecurity, by first breaking it down into smaller, less complex chunks and then building more complexity on top of that foundation.
However you decide to approach your developer security skills program, keeping it separate from compliance exercises will be key. Both compliance and security training are important, and both require different approaches to achieve success.
For further reading
Whitepaper: The challenges (and opportunities) to improve software security.
Whitepaper: The preventative developer approach to software security.
Report: The state of developer-driven security.
Table of contents
Secure Code Warrior makes secure coding a positive and engaging experience for developers as they increase their skills. We guide each coder along their own preferred learning pathway, so that security-skilled developers become the everyday superheroes of our connected world.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
Book a demoDownloadResources to get you started
Benchmarking Security Skills: Streamlining Secure-by-Design in the Enterprise
The Secure-by-Design movement is the future of secure software development. Learn about the key elements companies need to keep in mind when they think about a Secure-by-Design initiative.
DigitalOcean Decreases Security Debt with Secure Code Warrior
DigitalOcean's use of Secure Code Warrior training has significantly reduced security debt, allowing teams to focus more on innovation and productivity. The improved security has strengthened their product quality and competitive edge. Looking ahead, the SCW Trust Score will help them further enhance security practices and continue driving innovation.
Resources to get you started
Trust Score Reveals the Value of Secure-by-Design Upskilling Initiatives
Our research has shown that secure code training works. Trust Score, using an algorithm drawing on more than 20 million learning data points from work by more than 250,000 learners at over 600 organizations, reveals its effectiveness in driving down vulnerabilities and how to make the initiative even more effective.
Reactive Versus Preventive Security: Prevention Is a Better Cure
The idea of bringing preventive security to legacy code and systems at the same time as newer applications can seem daunting, but a Secure-by-Design approach, enforced by upskilling developers, can apply security best practices to those systems. It’s the best chance many organizations have of improving their security postures.
The Benefits of Benchmarking Security Skills for Developers
The growing focus on secure code and Secure-by-Design principles requires developers to be trained in cybersecurity from the start of the SDLC, with tools like Secure Code Warrior’s Trust Score helping measure and improve their progress.
Driving Meaningful Success for Enterprise Secure-by-Design Initiatives
Our latest research paper, Benchmarking Security Skills: Streamlining Secure-by-Design in the Enterprise is the result of deep analysis of real Secure-by-Design initiatives at the enterprise level, and deriving best practice approaches based on data-driven findings.