Darkreading: Getting Started

[gem at cigital.com (Gary McGraw)]

Hi Jim,

Good question.  Often a coordinated/distributed approach will work.  However, to make things simple, I tried to 
untangle the threads.  We have actual customers who have followed each of the 4 paths (with other interesting twists of 
course), so it made sense to carve things out that way to me.

I agree with you on 4 (tool first), but the reality of the situation is that many enterprises were sold tools as a 
just-add-water solution and they've been looking around for the water ever since.  That is one way to get started and 
it does work.  Reality sucks, huh?

gem

company www.cigital.com
podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
book www.swsec.com

-----Original Message-----
From: sc-l-bounces at securecoding.org [mailto:sc-l-bounces at securecoding.org] On Behalf Of Jim Manico
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 12:50 AM
Cc: Secure Coding Mailing List (SC-L at securecoding.org)
Subject: Re: [SC-L] Darkreading: Getting Started

Gary,

Interesting article. May I ask, why get started with only one of these approaches? Since 1-3 effects different parts of 
the organization (portfolio risk seems like a biz-management approach, top-down framework seems to effect software 
development management, and training effects developers, primarily) - why not *start* an initiative on all levels? In 
fact, doesn't it really take all of the above to truly effect permanent change in an organization?

4) Makes me nervous. I worry if you just toss a very expensive static code analysis or app scanning tool at development 
staff, you only provide a false sense of security since the coverage of even the best application security tools is 
very limited. Doesn't it take rather in-depth developer training and awareness for a tool to be truly useful?

- Jim
> hi sc-l,
>
> One of the biggest hurdles facing software security is the problem of how to get started, especially when faced with 
> an enterprise-level challenge.  My first darkreading column for 2008 is about how to get started in software 
> security.  In the article, I describe four approaches:
> 1. the top-down framework;
> 2. portfolio risk;
> 3. training first; and
> 4. leading with a tool.
>
> We've tried them all with some success at different Cigital customers.
>
> Are there other ways to get started that have worked for you?
>
> By the way, I can use your help.  Darkreading is beginning to track reaction to topics more carefully than in the 
> past.  You can help make software security more prominent by reading the article and passing the URL on to others you 
> may find interested.  Another thing that helps is posting to the message boards.  Thanks in advance.
>
> Here's to even more widespread software security in 2008!
>
> gem
>
> company www.cigital.com
> podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
> blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
> book www.swsec.com
>
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--

Best Regards,
Jim Manico
jim at manico.net
808.652.3805 (c)


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