What is the SCAT

For more information on the why behind the SCAT, read my linkedIn Article here

What is the SCAT

• SCAT is a process integrity tool, implementing a consistent, authorized and auditable software development process
• SCAT is used by development teams to build, verify and assure secure software
  • Build: uses a combination of code level guidance, on demand training and DAST tools to train, guide and verify correct implementation
  • Verify: uses a combination of manual test plans and SATS tools to guide and verify correct implementation
  • Assure: centrally stores and publishes evidence of secure development and testing as an audit trail. Providing traceability through requirements and proving that security controls operate efficiently over a period of time
• SCAT is not a point in time security verification tool for detecting vulnerabilities after development

Process integrity and point in time tools: How they work in the SDLC

Technical Description

Without further complicating development environment

• SCAT is a simple 5 screen MVC, C# web application with a small footprint that can be deployed without further complicating development environment
• Integrates with Jira and runs ZAP and SonarQube in docker containers
• SCAT is part of three domains to consider when securing software development. I've detailed the other domains in an article that will be published in the Nov/Dec issue of the ISC2 magazine, I will add a link here after publication.

  See how developers use SCAT

  See below how the Secure code assurance tool integrates security into software development phases

  Sprint planning phase

  Objective: Ensures security requirements are understood
  

  • Developers use the Identify risks screen to
    
    1. Select the critical function to developing/changing
    2. Identify the technologies used
    3. Automatically generate the security requirements and tests

    See how to use the tools and its internal mapping to generate security requirements

Development phase

Objective: Ensure correct implementation of security requirements

• Developers use the Secure development screen to
  
  1. View and understand how to attack and prevent the risk
  2. View the secure code requirements
  3. View the secure code block to implement the security requirement
  4. Manage development effort in Jira
  5. After development run a ZAP basic scan to verify security requirements have been correctly implemented

  See how the tool helps developers understand security requirements and write secure code

Secure code review phase

Objective: Ensure correct implementation of security requirements

• Code reviewers use the Secure code review screen to
  
  1. Guide manually secure code review
  2. After manual secure code review run a Sonarqube scan to verify security requirements have been correctly implemented

  See how the tool verifies correct security requirements implementation

Testing phase

Objective: Ensure valid security testing

• Testers use the Secure testing screen to
  
  1. View the test plans required to test the risk
  2. Manage testing effort in Jira

  See how the tool helps testers test risk mitigation efforts

Approval phase

Objective: Streamline the approval and audit process

• Approvers use the Assurance evidence screen to
  
  1. View relevant testing evidence alongside the risk, reducing the time assurance teams need to examine and approve releases
  2. View verified development effort and whether it falls within risk tolerance levels

  See how the tool streamlines the approval process with centrally stored testing evidence

Risk management

Objective: Enable risk managers to prioritise, plan and monitor mitigation efforts

• Risk managers use the Application risk exposure screen to
  
  1. View each application critical function and the associated risks
  2. Identify where mitigation effort is required by viewing which risks require security requirements
  3. Identify where development effort is required by viewing which security requirements need secure code blocks
  4. Identify where extra testing effort is required by viewing which risks require security test plans

  See how the Application landscape overview screen informs risk based decision making

Preparation phase

When developing secure software we need to consider both standard secure code and client specific architectural requirements

Standard secure code requirements

• SCAT comes out the box with a standard OWASP secure code requirements map. This mapping need to be modified to the specific organisation requirements

Client specific architectural requirements

• To generate these requirements we perform a risk assessment on client application landscape and identify

1. Critical applications and functions
2. Risk associated with each critical application function
3. Architectural security requirements to secure each critical application functions
4. Client specific secure code blocks to implement security requirements
5. Secure test plans to verify risk has been mitigated