Course 7 - Secure SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) | Episode 8: Phase 8: Collaboration, Maturity Models, and Strategic Planning

In this lesson, you’ll learn about: Phase 8 — Collaborative Model & Continuous Security Improvement 1. Overview Phase Eight of the Secure SDLC emphasizes the Collaborative Model, which focuses on addressing security challenges in distributed and enterprise environments. Collaboration strengthens security by bridging gaps between security, IT, and operations teams, breaking down silos, and integrating defense-in-depth strategies. Key success factors include strong stakeholder support for integration, budgeting, and cross-functional alignment. 2. Team Composition and Benefits Security is an ecosystem involving:

• Macro-level players: Governments, regulators, and standards organizations.
• Micro-level players: End-users, corporations, and security professionals.

Benefits of strong team collaboration:

• Builds confidence in security programs.
• Encourages shared responsibility, reducing “it’s not my job” attitudes.
• Leverages automation (e.g., SOAR) to improve efficiency.
• Ensures security is user-friendly and effective.
• Strengthens defense-in-depth strategies.

3. Feedback Model Continuous improvement depends on effective feedback, which should be:

• Timely: Delivered close to the event using real-time metrics.
• Specific: Concrete, measurable, and aligned with security goals.
• Action-Oriented: Includes clear instructions for remediation.
• Constant: Repeated and recurring for ongoing improvement.
• Collaborative: Employees contribute solutions and insights.

4. Secure Maturity Model (SMM) The SMM measures an organization’s security capability and progress through five levels:

1. Initial: Processes are ad hoc, informal, reactive, and inconsistent.
2. Repeatable: Some processes are established and documented but lack discipline.
3. Defined: Formalized, standardized processes create consistency.
4. Managed: Security processes are measured, refined, and optimized for efficiency.
5. Optimizing: Processes are automated, continuously analyzed, and fully integrated into organizational culture.

5. OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAM) SAM is an open framework helping organizations:

• Evaluate current software security practices.
• Build balanced, iterative security programs.
• Define and measure security-related activities across teams.

It provides a structured path to improve security capabilities in alignment with business objectives. 6. Secure Road Map Developing a security road map ensures security is aligned with business goals and continuously improved. Key principles:

1. Iterative: Security is a continuous program, regularly reassessing risks and strategies.
2. Inclusive: Involves all stakeholders—IT, HR, legal, and business units—for alignment.
3. Measure Success: Success is measured by milestones, deliverables, and clear security metrics to demonstrate value.

7. Summary

• Phase Eight emphasizes collaboration and continuous improvement in enterprise security.
• Security is integrated across all SDLC stages, from requirements to testing.
• Effective collaboration, feedback, maturity assessment, and road mapping ensure resilient security practices that adapt to evolving threats.
• This phase is critical because applications are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, making integrated security essential for organizational defense.

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