Secure by Design Principles - OWASP Top 10

1. Introduction

The "Secure by Design" principle emphasizes the importance of security being an integral part of the software development lifecycle. This lesson explores how to apply these principles effectively to mitigate vulnerabilities as identified by the OWASP Top 10.

2. Key Concepts

• Security should be integrated from the beginning of the design phase.
• Anticipate threats and identify potential vulnerabilities early.
• Involve security experts in the design process.

3. Secure by Design Principles

1. Least Privilege: Ensure that users and systems have only the permissions they need.
   Tip: Regularly review permissions to ensure least privilege is maintained.
2. Defense in Depth: Implement multiple layers of security controls.
   Warning: Relying on a single security measure can create vulnerabilities.
3. Fail Securely: Ensure that the system fails in a safe manner.
   Tip: Design failover mechanisms to protect sensitive data.
4. Input Validation: Validate all inputs to prevent injection attacks.

   
   if (input != null && input.matches("^[a-zA-Z0-9]*$")) {
       // Process input
   } else {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid input");
   }
                       

5. Secure Defaults: Default configurations should be secure.
   Tip: Change default passwords and settings before deployment.

4. Best Practices

• Conduct threat modeling during the design phase.
• Perform regular security audits and code reviews.
• Educate development teams on secure coding practices.

5. FAQ