Remediating Vulnerabilities at the Source

Today’s organizations struggle to keep their vulnerability management programs above the consistent waves of new threats. Alert prioritization and remediation are areas where companies search for creative solutions to get ahead of the never-ending game of vulnerability whack-a-mole. Unfortunately, the expansive sprawl of security tools designed to reduce technology risk adds unnecessary complexity to an already intricate process.

These tools, often created by security engineers, tend not to emphasize the developer’s perspective of its use enough. This mismatch between a tool’s functionality and end users can strain the relationship between security teams and developers. Dumping security tools on developers and mandating their use without considering the impact on existing workflows can lead to limited adoption and a lack of compliance with security requirements. To avoid driving skilled talent away, companies need a way to address increased application security risk without alienating the core value-creators in their workforce.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but the playing field can be leveled by embedding security features into the tools developers already use in their roles. By enabling security features in source code repositories such as GitHub, security-conscious admins can take deliberate steps to mitigate vulnerabilities before they reach production.

Better yet, keeping security alert information inside these platforms provides developers with the information needed to apply fixes without asking them to switch contexts and analyze alerts in external tools. This empowers developers to own more aspects of their code and understand the reason behind secure coding practices without interrupting their flow. The result? Improved security posture and a roster of software developers delighted to work in a familiar environment with added security flair.

However, simply toggling on a security feature will not instantly fix all of your organization’s security issues. This is where we encourage engaging an external advisor to help you navigate your organization through gradually enhancing your security processes. Without guidance, your organization may fall victim to the various pitfalls associated with ramping up security programs, such as:

• Inundation from false positives alerts
• Limited adoption, either due to a lack of resources that can respond to alerts or a broader lack of understanding about the new security capabilities.
• Significant amounts of vulnerabilities without context around their exploitability

Finding a strong partner who understands the tooling and can provide guidance through these challenges can increase the value returned by treating vulnerabilities at the point they are inserted into your company’s environment. By taking steps today to unify your security and developer teams, your organization can iterate towards true resilience without compromising on speed or agility, allowing you to capture the market and maintain a well-established security record to earn and reinforce stakeholder trust.