Mitigating the Risk of Software Vulnerabilities by Adopting a Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF)

Published

April 23, 2020

Author(s)

Donna F. Dodson, Murugiah Souppaya, Karen Scarfone

Abstract

Few software development life cycle (SDLC) models explicitly address software security in detail, so secure software development practices usually need to be added to each SDLC model to ensure the software being developed is well secured. This white paper recommends a core set of high-level secure software development practices called a secure software development framework (SSDF) to be integrated within each SDLC implementation. The paper facilitates communications about secure software development practices among business owners, software developers, project managers and leads, and cybersecurity professionals within an organization. Following these practices should help software producers reduce the number of vulnerabilities in released software, mitigate the potential impact of the exploitation of undetected or unaddressed vulnerabilities, and address the root causes of vulnerabilities to prevent future recurrences. Also, because the framework provides a common vocabulary for secure software development, software consumers can use it to foster communications with suppliers in acquisition processes and other management activities.

Citation

OTHER - CSWP 04232020

Report Number

CSWP 04232020

NIST Pub Series

Other

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.CSWP.04232020

Local Download

Keywords

secure software development, secure software development framework (SSDF), secure software development practices, software acquisition, software development, software development life cycle (SDLC), software security.

Citation

Dodson, D. , Souppaya, M. and Scarfone, K. (2020), Mitigating the Risk of Software Vulnerabilities by Adopting a Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF), OTHER, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.CSWP.04232020, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=930169 (Accessed April 24, 2026)

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