Security Standards

Overview

This document defines the security standards and requirements that all code must adhere to, ensuring the protection of our systems, data, and users.

Security Requirements

1. Authentication & Authorization

• User authentication: Secure, robust mechanisms for verifying user identity
• Role-based access control: Properly implemented access controls based on user roles
• Session management: Secure generation, storage, and rotation of session tokens
• Password policies: Strong password requirements and secure password handling
• Multi-factor authentication: Implementation for sensitive systems and operations
• Token management: Secure handling of all authentication tokens
• API authentication: Proper authentication for all API endpoints
• Access logging: Comprehensive logging of authentication and authorization events

2. Data Security

• Data encryption: Appropriate encryption for data at rest and in transit
• Secure storage: Secure data storage with proper access controls
• Data transmission: Secure protocols and encryption for all data transmission
• Data validation: Comprehensive validation of all data inputs
• Input sanitization: Proper sanitization of all user-controlled input
• Output encoding: Context-appropriate encoding of all outputs
• Data classification: Proper classification and handling based on sensitivity
• Data retention: Appropriate data retention and deletion policies

3. Application Security

• Secure coding practices: Adherence to established secure coding standards
• Error handling: Secure error handling that doesn't expose sensitive information
• Logging standards: Comprehensive logging without exposure of sensitive data
• Configuration security: Secure handling of application configuration
• Dependency management: Regular updates and security scanning of dependencies
• API security: Proper implementation of API security controls
• File handling: Secure file operations and validations
• Memory management: Proper memory handling to prevent leaks and overflows

Implementation Guidelines

1. Secure Development

• Security training: Regular security training for all development staff
• Code review process: Security-focused code review practices
• Security testing: Comprehensive security testing procedures
• Vulnerability scanning: Regular automated scanning for vulnerabilities
• Penetration testing: Periodic penetration testing by qualified personnel
• Security documentation: Thorough documentation of security controls
• Incident response: Clear procedures for security incident response
• Security updates: Timely application of security patches and updates

2. Infrastructure Security

• Network security: Proper network segmentation and security controls
• Server security: Hardened server configurations and regular updates
• Cloud security: Secure cloud service configurations and monitoring
• Container security: Security controls for containerized applications
• Database security: Secure database configurations and access controls
• Backup security: Secure backup procedures and storage
• Monitoring: Comprehensive security monitoring
• Disaster recovery: Robust disaster recovery procedures

3. Compliance Requirements

• Industry standards: Adherence to relevant industry security standards
• Regulatory compliance: Compliance with applicable regulations
• Security certifications: Maintenance of required security certifications
• Audit requirements: Support for security audit processes
• Documentation: Comprehensive compliance documentation
• Reporting: Regular compliance reporting
• Review process: Periodic review of compliance status
• Update procedures: Procedures for implementing compliance updates

Security Controls

1. Prevention Controls

• Input validation: Comprehensive validation of all inputs
• Access control: Proper implementation of access controls
• Encryption: Appropriate use of encryption technologies
• Security headers: Implementation of security-related HTTP headers
• Rate limiting: Protection against brute force and DoS attacks
• Security configuration: Secure configuration of all components
• Dependency scanning: Regular scanning of dependencies for vulnerabilities
• Code analysis: Static and dynamic analysis of code for security issues

2. Detection Controls

• Security monitoring: Comprehensive monitoring for security events
• Logging: Proper logging of security-relevant events
• Alerting: Timely alerts for security incidents
• Audit trails: Comprehensive audit trails for security-relevant actions
• Vulnerability scanning: Regular scanning for new vulnerabilities
• Intrusion detection: Detection of unauthorized access attempts
• Anomaly detection: Identification of unusual behavior patterns
• Security testing: Regular security testing and verification

3. Response Controls

• Incident response: Well-defined incident response procedures
• Security patches: Timely application of security patches
• Vulnerability management: Processes for managing identified vulnerabilities
• Communication plan: Clear communication plans for security incidents
• Recovery procedures: Established procedures for recovering from incidents
• Documentation updates: Updates to documentation based on incidents
• Training updates: Updates to training based on security learnings
• Process improvements: Continuous improvement of security processes

Best Practices

1. Code Security

• Secure coding guidelines: Adherence to established secure coding guidelines
• Security patterns: Use of proven security design patterns
• Anti-patterns: Avoidance of known security anti-patterns
• Code review checklist: Security-focused code review practices
• Security testing: Regular and thorough security testing
• Documentation: Comprehensive documentation of security considerations
• Training: Ongoing security training for developers
• Tools: Use of appropriate security tools in development

2. Data Protection

• Encryption standards: Use of strong, standardized encryption
• Key management: Secure management of encryption keys
• Data handling: Proper procedures for handling sensitive data
• Access control: Appropriate controls for data access
• Data lifecycle: Proper management of the complete data lifecycle
• Backup procedures: Secure and reliable data backup procedures
• Recovery plans: Clear plans for data recovery
• Compliance: Adherence to data protection regulations

3. Operational Security

• Change management: Secure change management procedures
• Access management: Proper management of system access
• Monitoring: Comprehensive security monitoring
• Incident handling: Clear procedures for handling security incidents
• Update procedures: Safe and reliable update procedures
• Training: Regular operational security training
• Documentation: Thorough documentation of operational security
• Auditing: Regular security audits

References

• OWASP Top Ten
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• CIS Controls
• SANS Security Guidelines
• Code Quality Standards
• CI/CD Pipeline Security